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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: board · plane · stick · band · scale · stem · content · bear

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bear — the animal
  5. content — the amount
  6. band — a music group
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. board — a committee
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stem — to come from
  14. content — happy
  15. board — to get on
  16. scale — in music
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. band — a ring
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. plane — a tool
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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