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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. suit — in cards
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. suit — to fit
  11. last — to go on
  12. stem — to come from
  13. last — final
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. last — finally
  16. tube — a container
  17. saw — the tool
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. pound — a weight
  21. date — the fruit
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. pound — to hit hard

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