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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 116 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: pitch · stem · spell · bank · fan · cell · plane · nail

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. spell — letters
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. spell — magic
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bank — for money
  17. stem — to come from
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. spell — a short time
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. cell — a phone
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — completely
  24. plane — a tool

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