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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 120 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: mark · rush · plane · dip · sharp · pitcher · stem · firm

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. stem — to come from
  3. plane — a tool
  4. firm — a company
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. firm — steady
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. rush — hurry
  14. firm — decided
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. sharp — clever
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. dip — to sink
  24. pitcher — a jug

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