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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: cabinet · present · hide · last · foot · pound · rest · plane

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. present — a gift
  4. foot — a measure
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. plane — a tool
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. present — the time now
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. present — there
  15. pound — a weight
  16. rest — a break
  17. last — final
  18. rest — what's left
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. last — finally
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. last — to go on
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. plane — in geometry

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