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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: scale · bark · firm · fork · fan · mug · stem · plane

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. firm — a company
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. scale — in music
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. firm — decided
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. firm — steady
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mug — a face
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bark — to shout
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. scale — size or range

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