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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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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 · mark · leaves · date · saw · lie · hand · stand

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. saw — the tool
  6. date — the fruit
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. plane — a tool
  11. hand — in cards
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. lie — to recline
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. mark — a trace
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. stand — to bear
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. saw — the tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. hand — help
  24. leaves — of a tree

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