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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: stem · rash · staff · race · perch · plane · hide · current

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. race — humankind
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. current — of water
  8. staff — a stick
  9. stem — to come from
  10. staff — employees
  11. current — electric
  12. perch — the fish
  13. staff — employees
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rash — a series
  16. current — happening now
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. race — the arms race
  21. plane — a tool
  22. race — a contest
  23. rash — hasty
  24. perch — for a bird

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