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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pit — a hole
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. key — in music
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mug — to rob
  8. last — finally
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — decided
  12. mug — a face
  13. stem — to come from
  14. last — to go on
  15. prune — to trim
  16. key — the most important part
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pit — in a race
  20. key — for a lock
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. firm — steady
  24. last — final

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