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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: date · stem · key · arm · jam · fork · cabinet · plane

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. key — the most important part
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. date — the fruit
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. plane — a tool
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fork — in a road
  22. stem — to come from
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fork — a garden tool

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