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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. ball — a dance
  9. plane — a tool
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bear — the animal
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. board — a committee
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. saw — the tool
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. ball — a great time
  20. stem — to come from
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. board — to get on
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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