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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: cap · stem · net · stand · charge · plane · spring · fall

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. net — in sport
  3. spring — a coil
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. fall — to drop
  6. plane — a tool
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. net — after costs
  9. fall — the season
  10. cap — a hat
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. charge — in control
  14. cap — of ice
  15. stem — to come from
  16. fall — to drop
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cap — a lid
  19. spring — of water
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. charge — electricity
  22. spring — the season
  23. net — for catching
  24. charge — a price

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