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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. plane — a tool
  3. firm — a company
  4. saw — the tool
  5. ground — a position
  6. bound — tied together
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. ground — crushed
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. saw — the tool
  13. ground — the earth
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. toast — bread
  16. firm — decided
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bound — obliged
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. firm — steady
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. bound — certain

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