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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 · season · band · foot · leaves · kick · safe · straw

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. kick — in football
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. foot — a measure
  15. season — of the year
  16. plane — a tool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. band — a ring
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. band — a music group

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