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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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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: bay · plane · deal · chair · object · mark · safe · present

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. present — there
  4. object — to protest
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. present — a gift
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. plane — a tool
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. mark — a trace
  13. object — an aim
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. chair — a leader
  18. mark — a grade
  19. object — a thing
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. present — the time now
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. plane — in geometry

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