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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. stem — to come from
  3. game — a match
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a leader
  7. saw — the tool
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mate — a friend
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mate — a partner
  23. game — wild animals
  24. stem — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com