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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: present · lie · stem · plane · press · can · spell · net

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. press — to push
  3. stem — to come from
  4. can — a tin
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. present — a gift
  7. can — to be able to
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — letters
  10. present — there
  11. spell — a short time
  12. net — in sport
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. present — the time now
  16. press — newspapers
  17. lie — to recline
  18. press — a publisher
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — for catching
  24. can — a tin

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