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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: bear · stock · pit · chest · lean · safe · craft · plane

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. pit — in a race
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. craft — boats
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. plane — a tool
  9. stock — shares
  10. bear — the animal
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. chest — of your body
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — goods
  15. pit — a hole
  16. chest — a box
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. lean — to bend
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. lean — thin
  23. craft — a skill
  24. bear — the animal

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