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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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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 · pass · fall · lie · land · plane · branch · cell

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. fall — to drop
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. branch — a division
  6. pass — a permit
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cell — in biology
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. present — there
  13. cell — a phone
  14. plane — a tool
  15. land — a country
  16. land — to come down
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. present — the time now
  19. land — ground
  20. present — a gift
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. lie — to recline
  23. fall — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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