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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.

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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: hide · bank · bound · nail · plane · mate · lie · stem

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. stem — to come from
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. bound — certain
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bound — obliged
  18. mate — a friend
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bound — tied together
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bank — for money
  24. nail — for a hammer

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