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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 116 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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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: fall · stem · plane · board · bear · prune · firm · race

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. fall — the season
  3. bear — the animal
  4. race — the arms race
  5. stem — to come from
  6. firm — steady
  7. board — to get on
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. firm — decided
  10. fall — to drop
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. firm — a company
  13. board — a committee
  14. race — a contest
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. race — humankind
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. prune — to trim
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bear — the animal

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