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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: lie · suit · plane · foot · game · stem · craft · nail

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. foot — a measure
  3. craft — boats
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. plane — a tool
  6. stem — to come from
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. craft — a skill
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. game — a match
  19. suit — in cards
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. lie — to recline
  24. craft — a handicraft

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