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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: pass · plane · staff · season · leaves · fine · hand · mate

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. season — in sport
  4. staff — employees
  5. pass — a permit
  6. plane — a tool
  7. hand — in cards
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. season — of the year
  10. staff — employees
  11. fine — high quality
  12. mate — a friend
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. staff — a stick
  17. mate — a partner
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. hand — help
  22. mate — to breed
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. leaves — to go away

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