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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. last — to go on
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. scale — in music
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. field — farmland
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. last — finally
  11. scale — size or range
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — part of the head
  14. rest — what's left
  15. field — for sport
  16. rest — what's left
  17. field — a subject
  18. last — final
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. plane — a tool
  21. face — to point toward
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — to lash out

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