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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: net · content · stem · saw · can · arm · bear · plane

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  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. bear — the animal
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. content — happy
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. saw — the tool
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. saw — the tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. can — a tin
  11. content — the amount
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bear — the animal
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. net — after costs
  17. stem — to come from
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — in sport
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. can — a tin
  23. stem — of a plant
  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