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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
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: fan · plane · stem · firm · content · sharp · snap · chair

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. chair — a leader
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. firm — a company
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. content — the amount
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. firm — decided
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. sharp — clever
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. content — happy
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. stem — to come from
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. firm — steady
  24. snap — to click

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