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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: plane · stem · cap · cabinet · sharp · drill · club · track

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. club — for golf
  6. track — a song
  7. stem — to come from
  8. sharp — clever
  9. club — a group
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. plane — a tool
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. track — to keep track
  14. drill — army training
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. drill — a practice
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. club — for dancing
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. drill — the tool
  21. track — a path
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. sharp — exactly

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