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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · sharp · race · season · date · safe · land · kick

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. season — of the year
  3. race — the arms race
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. season — in sport
  7. race — a contest
  8. kick — in football
  9. land — to come down
  10. race — humankind
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. date — the fruit
  18. land — ground
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. land — a country
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. kick — a thrill

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