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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: lean · patient · plane · board · net · rush · leaves · mark

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. board — to get on
  3. net — for catching
  4. lean — to bend
  5. net — after costs
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. rush — hurry
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. board — a committee
  13. plane — a tool
  14. lean — thin
  15. net — in sport
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mark — a grade
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. mark — a trace

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