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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: cabinet · plane · stem · bay · sharp · temple · band · foot

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. band — a music group
  5. plane — a tool
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. foot — a measure
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — to come from
  17. sharp — clever
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. band — a ring
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. cabinet — ministers

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