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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 116 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
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: plane · fine · chair · stand · lean · pit · saw · land

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. land — to come down
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. land — ground
  9. chair — a leader
  10. lean — to bend
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. fine — all right
  17. land — a country
  18. fine — high quality
  19. lean — thin
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pit — in a race
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. chair — a professorship

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