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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: foot · safe · branch · straw · plane · bear · stem · spell

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bear — the animal
  5. branch — a division
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. foot — a measure
  8. stem — to come from
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. spell — letters
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. spell — magic
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spell — a short time
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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