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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. charge — electricity
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. lie — to recline
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. coach — a trainer

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