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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.

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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 · stem · land · ground · season · nail · plane · bat

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. craft — a skill
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bat — the animal
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. plane — a tool
  11. craft — boats
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. land — ground
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — of the year
  17. land — a country
  18. land — to come down
  19. stem — to come from
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. ground — crushed
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. ground — a position

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