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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: jam · band · hide · spell · stem · sharp · plane · foot

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. band — a ring
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. spell — letters
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. spell — a short time
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. plane — a tool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. foot — a measure
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. spell — magic
  19. sharp — clever
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. band — a music group
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stem — to come from

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