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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bank — for money
  3. club — for dancing
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. chip — to eat
  6. firm — steady
  7. present — the time now
  8. bank — for money
  9. face — part of the head
  10. present — a gift
  11. bank — of a river
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. firm — a company
  15. face — to confront
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. firm — decided
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — a hat
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for golf
  22. face — to point toward
  23. cap — of ice
  24. present — there

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