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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: plane · stem · content · hand · land · lash · bowl · craft

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stem — to come from
  6. plane — a tool
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. land — to come down
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. hand — help
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — happy
  16. hand — in cards
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. land — a country
  20. craft — boats
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. craft — a skill
  24. land — ground

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