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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fall — to drop
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. field — farmland
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. plane — a tool
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. field — for sport
  11. fall — the season
  12. season — in sport
  13. fall — to drop
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. field — a subject
  18. season — of the year

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