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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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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: arm · cap · mate · stem · deal · wave · craft · plane

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mate — a partner
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. stem — to come from
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. cap — a hat
  14. craft — a skill
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. mate — to breed
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. plane — a tool
  21. deal — to handle
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. craft — boats
  24. wave — with your hand

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