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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: stem · plane · hand · cell · stand · can · saw · tube

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stem — to come from
  3. hand — in cards
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. tube — the underground
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. hand — help
  10. can — a tin
  11. saw — the tool
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cell — a phone
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. tube — a container
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. saw — the tool
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. tube — in a tire

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