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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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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 · lean · march · trunk · fall · mug · spring · safe

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. lean — to bend
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. spring — of water
  7. fall — to drop
  8. lean — thin
  9. spring — the season
  10. march — the month
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. march — music
  13. fall — the season
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — a cup
  17. spring — a coil
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. mug — to rob
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. fall — to drop
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. plane — an aircraft

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