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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cell — in biology
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wind — moving air
  6. suit — clothes
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rock — music
  10. charge — electricity
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — in a road
  13. rock — a stone
  14. plane — a tool
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. face — to confront
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. wind — moving air
  23. face — part of the head
  24. suit — in cards

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