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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 120 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: saw · cabinet · stem · plane · scale · track · leaves · bank

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. stem — to come from
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. track — a song
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. plane — a tool
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bank — of a river
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. track — to keep track
  24. plane — in geometry

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