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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
468
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 · spell · perch · stem · fine · pit · pop · chip

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. perch — the fish
  3. fine — all right
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — to visit
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stem — to come from
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. spell — letters
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. pop — soda
  13. spell — magic
  14. fine — high quality
  15. pit — a hole
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. chip — for betting
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. spell — a short time

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