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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: hand · plane · leaves · chest · present · arm · cabinet · bound

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bound — certain
  3. chest — a box
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bound — obliged
  6. chest — of your body
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — a gift
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. present — there
  19. hand — help
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. hand — in cards
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bound — tied together
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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