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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.

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: branch · lie · scale · stand · race · shower · plane · stem

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. race — the arms race
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. shower — to wash
  10. lie — to recline
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stem — to come from
  13. scale — in music
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. race — humankind
  17. branch — a division
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. shower — rain
  23. plane — a tool
  24. race — a contest

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