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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: present · field · cap · safe · row · sharp · plane · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. present — there
  4. field — for sport
  5. plane — a tool
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — a lid
  9. field — farmland
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bank — for money
  12. present — the time now
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. present — a gift
  15. row — a line
  16. cap — of ice
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. field — a subject
  21. bank — for money
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. row — to paddle

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