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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.

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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: drill · plane · lean · jam · stem · present · deal · lash

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. lean — to bend
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. drill — a practice
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. plane — a tool
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — to handle
  12. stem — to come from
  13. drill — the tool
  14. present — there
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lean — thin
  19. drill — army training
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — the time now
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. stem — of a plant

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