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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 120 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: plane · staff · key · squash · stem · fine · land · can

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. key — for a lock
  3. can — a tin
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. staff — employees
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — a country
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — to crush
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — in music
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. can — a tin
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. land — ground
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. fine — all right
  23. can — to be able to
  24. stem — to come from

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