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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stand — to bear
  3. season — in sport
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. rash — a series
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. fork — in a road
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rash — hasty
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. toast — bread
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. club — a group
  19. stem — to come from
  20. club — for dancing
  21. plane — a tool
  22. club — for golf
  23. season — of the year
  24. plane — in geometry

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