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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 116 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: cell · race · straw · leaves · plane · safe · fine · row

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. cell — in biology
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. race — a contest
  6. cell — a phone
  7. race — humankind
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. row — to paddle
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. plane — a tool
  14. row — a line
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. fine — high quality
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. fine — all right
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. race — the arms race

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