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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 · kick · foot · race · pit · stem · deal · clip

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. race — the arms race
  6. clip — for paper
  7. stem — to come from
  8. kick — in football
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. deal — to handle
  11. foot — a measure
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. race — a contest
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a hole
  19. plane — a tool
  20. clip — to cut
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. race — humankind
  23. clip — a video
  24. foot — part of the body

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