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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: present · sharp · object · rash · bear · plane · lean · capital

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. bear — the animal
  5. present — there
  6. bear — the animal
  7. present — the time now
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. sharp — clever
  13. object — an aim
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lean — thin
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. object — a thing
  21. capital — money
  22. present — a gift
  23. capital — a city
  24. lean — to bend

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