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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bank — of a river
  6. face — part of the head
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bank — for money
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bank — for money
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. land — to come down
  18. land — a country
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. plane — a tool
  21. face — to confront
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. land — ground

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