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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.

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 · ball · cap · fork · staff · scale

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. staff — a stick
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. staff — employees
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. staff — employees
  12. cap — of ice
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. scale — size or range
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. cap — a hat
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. fork — in a road
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stem — to come from
  23. ball — a dance
  24. scale — in music

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