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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: pitcher · tube · net · stem · plane · can · press · lie

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. press — to push
  6. plane — a tool
  7. can — a tin
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. tube — the underground
  10. lie — to recline
  11. can — a tin
  12. net — in sport
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. can — to be able to
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. net — for catching
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. press — newspapers
  19. net — after costs
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. press — a publisher
  22. tube — a container
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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