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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: fine · spring · stem · content · present · sharp · plane · kick

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — a coil
  5. present — there
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. content — the amount
  8. present — the time now
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. kick — in football
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. fine — high quality
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. fine — all right
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — clever
  21. present — a gift
  22. stem — to come from
  23. content — happy
  24. plane — a tool

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