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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. face — to confront
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. plane — a tool
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. face — part of the head
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. leaves — lets stay

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