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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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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: chair · safe · perch · root · plane · pass · wax · fall

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fall — to drop
  3. chair — a leader
  4. fall — to drop
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. wax — to grow
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. fall — the season
  10. pass — a permit
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. plane — a tool
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. root — the cause
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. root — of a plant
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. root — of a word
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. safe — a strongbox

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