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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 116 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: staff · lash · stem · capital · tube · plane · can · perch

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. capital — a city
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. can — a tin
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. staff — employees
  10. can — to be able to
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. staff — employees
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. tube — a container
  19. can — a tin
  20. tube — the underground
  21. capital — money
  22. staff — a stick
  23. perch — the fish
  24. lash — an eyelash

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