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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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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 · deal · bay · cabinet · tear · stand

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. tear — from crying
  3. plane — a tool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. deal — to handle
  8. tear — from crying
  9. stand — to bear
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. tear — to rip

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