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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: safe · board · tube · wake · leaves · bass · plane · lean

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — thin
  5. tube — a container
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. tube — the underground
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. plane — a tool
  12. board — to get on
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bass — low music
  16. board — a committee
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bass — the fish
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. lean — to bend
  24. wake — a trail

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