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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: roll · land · bear · plane · wave · fork · stem · scale

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. fork — in a road
  3. land — a country
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. plane — a tool
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bear — the animal
  10. scale — in music
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. land — ground
  14. land — to come down
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. roll — a list
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. roll — a cake

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