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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: season · tube · present · calf · plane · pop · fine · fall

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  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. calf — of the leg
  2. present — a gift
  3. pop — soda
  4. fine — all right
  5. present — the time now
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fall — to drop
  8. present — there
  9. fine — high quality
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. tube — the underground
  13. pop — music
  14. season — in sport
  15. fall — to drop
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fall — the season
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — a container
  21. pop — to visit
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — to add flavour
  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