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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: plane · stem · bark · bear · stock · cue · craft · race

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. stock — goods
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. race — the arms race
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. cue — for pool
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. cue — a hint
  11. stem — to come from
  12. race — humankind
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bark — to shout
  16. stock — shares
  17. race — a contest
  18. plane — a tool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bark — of a tree

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