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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: stem · ground · safe · plane · deal · bay · fan · arm

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — to handle
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. ground — the earth
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ground — crushed
  19. plane — a tool
  20. ground — a position
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. deal — a big deal

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