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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: stem · pitcher · wake · spring · present · plane

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. present — the time now
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. present — there
  8. stem — to come from
  9. spring — the season
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. spring — a coil
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. present — a gift
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. spring — of water

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