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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: leaves · last · chair · saw · plane · temple · deal · bat

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. plane — a tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. last — finally
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bat — the animal
  11. chair — a leader
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. saw — the tool
  16. last — to go on
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. last — final
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. deal — to handle
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bat — in an idiom

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