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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: stem · craft · plane · fall · lie · nail · pit · spring

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. spring — of water
  5. stem — to come from
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. craft — boats
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. spring — a coil
  10. fall — the season
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pit — in a race
  13. craft — a skill
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. spring — the season
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. pit — a hole
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. lie — to recline
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. lie — an untruth

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