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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: bear · craft · plane · stem · bay · fork · scale · capital

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. scale — in music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. capital — a city
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. scale — size or range
  13. fork — in a road
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. craft — a skill
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. craft — boats
  21. capital — money
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bear — to put up with

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