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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.

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: present · safe · plane · lean · saw · suit · clip · cap

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. suit — in cards
  3. present — the time now
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. suit — clothes
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — of ice
  8. plane — a tool
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. suit — to fit
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. present — a gift
  14. cap — a hat
  15. present — there
  16. lean — thin
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. clip — for paper
  20. lean — to bend
  21. clip — a video
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. clip — to cut
  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