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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 120 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: plane · cue · ground · stem · march · bear · rash · bound

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. cue — a hint
  4. rash — a series
  5. bear — the animal
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bear — the animal
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. march — the month
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bound — obliged
  12. ground — the earth
  13. bound — certain
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. plane — a tool
  18. march — the month
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — a position
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bound — tied together
  23. rash — hasty
  24. stem — to come from

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