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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 120 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: present · shower · lash · suit · stem · last · nail · plane

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. shower — rain
  5. last — to go on
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — to fit
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. plane — a tool
  12. shower — to wash
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. last — final
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. suit — in cards
  23. present — there
  24. last — finally

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