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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. ground — crushed
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. stem — to come from
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. staff — employees
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. date — the fruit
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. can — a tin
  18. staff — employees
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. staff — a stick

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