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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 · cell · rule · lean · foot · present

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cell — a phone
  4. foot — a measure
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rule — government
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. rule — a law
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. present — a gift
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. foot — the bottom

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