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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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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: plane · stem · lash · firm · tube · race · pass · shower

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. shower — to wash
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — steady
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. race — the arms race
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — humankind
  12. tube — a container
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. stem — to come from
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. shower — rain
  23. firm — decided
  24. pass — a permit

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