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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 120 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: sharp · bear · net · spell · craft · plane · stem · mine

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. craft — boats
  4. bear — the animal
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — letters
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. net — in sport
  13. stem — to come from
  14. net — for catching
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. net — after costs
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. sharp — clever
  19. plane — a tool
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bear — the animal
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. craft — a skill

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