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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.

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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: cell · plane · stem · rush · lean · saw · safe · arm

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. stem — to come from
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. saw — the tool
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. cell — a phone
  13. plane — a tool
  14. rush — hurry
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. lean — thin
  17. saw — the tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. cell — in biology

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