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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: leaves · wind · pitcher · plane · hide · capital · safe · stem

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. capital — money
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — moving air
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stem — to come from
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. capital — a city
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. leaves — to go away

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