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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 116 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: present · hand · wake · plane · nail · mine · mark · stem

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. present — a gift
  5. wake — a trail
  6. mark — a grade
  7. present — the time now
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. hand — in cards
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. present — there
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — for digging
  20. plane — a tool
  21. stem — to come from
  22. hand — help
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. mark — a trace

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