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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 116 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. swing — to play on
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. chair — a leader
  6. stem — to come from
  7. firm — steady
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. swing — music
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. firm — a company
  12. suit — to fit
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. suit — in cards
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. firm — decided
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — in football
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. swing — in golf
  21. suit — clothes
  22. saw — the tool
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a professorship

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