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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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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 · net · present · foot · safe · cell

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. present — there
  4. cell — a phone
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. net — in sport
  8. cell — in biology
  9. foot — a measure
  10. net — for catching
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. present — a gift
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. net — after costs
  16. plane — a tool
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. plane — in geometry

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