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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. stem — to come from
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. hand — help
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. plane — a tool
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. suit — to fit
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. hand — in cards
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. fork — in a road
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fork — a garden tool

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