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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. net — after costs
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. tear — from crying
  7. march — music
  8. key — in music
  9. march — the month
  10. plane — a tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. key — for a lock
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — to rip
  16. march — the month
  17. foot — a measure
  18. net — in sport
  19. net — for catching
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. saw — the tool
  22. stem — to come from
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. key — the most important part

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