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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
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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: roll · craft · stem · mate · track · pound · plane · pitcher

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. track — a song
  4. pound — a weight
  5. craft — a skill
  6. track — a path
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. track — to keep track
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. stem — to come from
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. roll — a list
  13. mate — to breed
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. mate — a partner
  16. roll — a cake
  17. craft — boats
  18. mate — a friend
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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