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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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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: court · stem · safe · lean · suit · tear · plane · key

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. key — the most important part
  4. stem — to come from
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tear — from crying
  9. key — for a lock
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. court — of a king
  14. lean — thin
  15. plane — a tool
  16. suit — to fit
  17. court — of law
  18. court — for sport
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. key — in music
  22. lean — to bend
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. suit — clothes

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