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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. capital — money
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. cap — a lid
  10. capital — a city
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. prune — to trim
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. cap — a hat
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. stem — to come from
  17. cap — of ice
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wake — a trail
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. plane — an aircraft

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