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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: plane · stem · fork · tube · fall · jam · arm · wave

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. tube — a container
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. fall — the season
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. tube — the underground
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. plane — a tool
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. fall — to drop
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. stem — to come from
  24. arm — a part of something

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