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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.

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: stem · nail · plane · pass · lie · board · cold · fine

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stem — to come from
  4. cold — not warm
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. fine — high quality
  12. board — to get on
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. plane — a tool
  18. board — a committee
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. lie — to recline
  22. cold — an illness
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — all right

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