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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. race — humankind
  4. stem — to come from
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. plane — a tool
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. sharp — clever
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. race — the arms race
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pass — a permit
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. race — a contest

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