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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: row · shower · can · fine · mouse · band · stem · plane

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stem — to come from
  6. row — to paddle
  7. band — a music group
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. row — a line
  12. can — a tin
  13. band — a ring
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. shower — rain
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. shower — to wash
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. can — a tin
  24. fine — all right

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