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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rash · toast · sharp · ruler · plane · fall · stem · wound

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. rash — hasty
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wound — an injury
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. fall — to drop
  15. wound — an injury
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. toast — bread
  19. fall — the season
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. fall — to drop
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — a series
  24. sharp — with an edge

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