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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: plane · stem · patient · ruler · leaves · squash · arm · clip

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. plane — a tool
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. squash — to crush
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. clip — a video
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. clip — for paper
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. squash — the sport
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. clip — to cut

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