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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 ________________ took off on time.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. sharp — clever
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. cue — for pool
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. stem — to come from
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. charge — in control
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. charge — a price
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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