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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 124 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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — clever
  7. stem — to come from
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. plane — a tool
  19. suit — clothes
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. suit — to fit
  22. perch — the fish
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pound — a weight

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