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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
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: prune · plane · stem · object · march · craft · shower · bay

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. object — an aim
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. prune — to trim
  15. plane — a tool
  16. shower — to wash
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. march — music
  19. object — to protest
  20. shower — rain
  21. object — a thing
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. craft — boats

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