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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
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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: craft · pop · can · land · race · stem · fine · plane

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. pop — music
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. can — a tin
  11. pop — to visit
  12. race — humankind
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pop — soda
  15. craft — a skill
  16. race — the arms race
  17. fine — all right
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. stem — to come from
  20. land — a country
  21. land — ground
  22. craft — boats
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. race — a contest

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