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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 120 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: staff · bear · dip · pit · fall · march · fine · plane

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. fine — all right
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to sink
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pit — a hole
  11. fall — the season
  12. bear — the animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bear — the animal
  17. march — music
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. fine — high quality
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pit — in a race
  22. march — the month
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. march — the month

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