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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: swing · bark · stem · tear · ball · plane · mate · stand

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. swing — music
  6. stem — to come from
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tear — from crying
  9. stand — to bear
  10. mate — a friend
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. mate — a partner
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mate — to breed
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. swing — to play on
  18. plane — a tool
  19. swing — in golf
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. tear — from crying

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