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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 116 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: club · key · band · stem · last · plane · staff · firm

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. firm — decided
  3. band — a music group
  4. last — to go on
  5. firm — a company
  6. club — for golf
  7. stem — to come from
  8. club — for dancing
  9. staff — employees
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. band — a ring
  12. key — in music
  13. firm — steady
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. last — final
  18. last — finally
  19. plane — a tool
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. staff — a stick
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. staff — employees
  24. club — a group

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