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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
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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: pop · lie · leaves · present · safe · season · tube · plane

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pop — music
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. tube — the underground
  8. present — a gift
  9. tube — a container
  10. present — there
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. lie — to recline
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. season — in sport
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pop — soda
  17. plane — a tool
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pop — to visit
  22. present — the time now
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. safe — out of danger

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