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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. shower — rain
  4. pass — a permit
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. shower — to wash
  7. perch — the fish
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. stem — to come from
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. craft — a skill
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a handicraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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