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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 116 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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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 · season · cap · deal · bulb

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. plane — a tool
  3. cap — a lid
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. cap — of ice
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. season — of the year
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. season — in sport
  11. cap — a hat
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bulb — for light
  18. plane — an aircraft

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