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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: plane · stem · arm · foot · spell · patient · racket · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. stem — to come from
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. spell — letters
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. spell — a short time
  20. foot — a measure
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. pass — a permit
  23. spell — magic
  24. patient — a sick person

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