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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 · plane · spell · prune · suit · stem · staff · rock

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. rock — a stone
  3. staff — a stick
  4. rock — music
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. spell — letters
  7. row — to paddle
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. spell — magic
  10. suit — in cards
  11. staff — employees
  12. row — a line
  13. prune — to trim
  14. suit — to fit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. staff — employees
  18. stem — to come from
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. plane — a tool
  22. suit — clothes
  23. spell — a short time
  24. rock — to move gently

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