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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 · safe · rest · ruler · game · cell · mouse · season

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. rest — a break
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. cell — a phone
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cell — in biology
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. game — wild animals
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. season — in sport
  23. season — of the year
  24. game — a match

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