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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.

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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 · can · lean · pit · net · rest · rule · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lean — to bend
  4. net — for catching
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rest — a break
  7. lean — thin
  8. can — a tin
  9. net — after costs
  10. pit — a hole
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rest — what's left
  14. net — in sport
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rule — a law
  17. can — a tin
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pit — in a race
  23. rule — government
  24. rest — what's left

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