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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 · toast · scale · fine · plane · coach · deal · straw

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. toast — bread
  6. stem — to come from
  7. fine — all right
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. fine — high quality
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. scale — in music
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. plane — a tool
  24. scale — size or range

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