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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: stand · snap · stem · key · plane · season · bulb · mark

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. season — of the year
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. snap — to click
  9. key — the most important part
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mark — a trace
  14. key — in music
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. season — in sport
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. plane — a tool
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. mark — a grade
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stem — of a plant

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