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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 · foot · mate · lean · stand · spell · pitcher · wave

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. 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. mate — to breed
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. lean — to bend
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. spell — a short time
  11. mate — a friend
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. mate — a partner
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. lean — thin
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — magic
  24. plane — a tool

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