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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. game — wild animals
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. game — a match
  8. scale — size or range
  9. stem — to come from
  10. foot — a measure
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. toast — bread
  13. pop — soda
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. scale — in music
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — to visit

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