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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 120 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. ball — a great time
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. capital — money
  6. face — to confront
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. capital — a city
  11. bound — certain
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — tied together
  16. lean — thin
  17. foot — a measure
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. plane — a tool
  20. face — part of the head
  21. ball — a dance
  22. lean — to bend
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. lean — to rest against

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