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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 116 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: firm · sharp · mouse · deal · tube · plane · stem · leaves

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — a container
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. firm — a company
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. sharp — clever
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. firm — decided
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. stem — to come from
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. plane — a tool
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. firm — steady
  24. deal — to handle

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