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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 · bay · plane · saw · stand · wind · lean · can

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. plane — a tool
  8. can — a tin
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. stand — to bear
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. wind — moving air
  21. can — to be able to
  22. lean — thin
  23. can — a tin
  24. wind — moving air

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