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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: pit · dip · plane · rush · club · stem · lean · staff

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. club — for dancing
  4. pit — a hole
  5. staff — a stick
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. rush — hurry
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. stem — to come from
  10. plane — a tool
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. staff — employees
  13. club — a group
  14. staff — employees
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. lean — thin
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — to bend
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. pit — in a race

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