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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · present · hide · cell · kick · season

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — there
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. present — the time now
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. season — of the year
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cell — in biology
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. season — in sport
  16. kick — in football
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. plane — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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