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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — a line
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bear — the animal
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. plane — a tool
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. tube — a container
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. tube — the underground
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. march — the month
  24. march — music

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