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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. cap — a lid
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. fine — all right
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. degree — temperature
  8. fine — high quality
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — clever
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. cap — of ice
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. degree — an amount
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. stem — to come from
  17. cap — a hat
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. degree — from a university
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. plane — a tool
  24. fine — a penalty

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