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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: root · saw · stick · fall · plane · sharp · stem · charge

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. fall — to drop
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. saw — the tool
  8. charge — a price
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. charge — in control
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stem — to come from
  13. root — of a plant
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. fall — the season
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a word
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. fall — to drop

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