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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. key — in music
  4. last — finally
  5. key — the most important part
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. key — for a lock
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. face — to confront
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. last — to go on
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. pass — a permit
  18. plane — a tool
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. last — final
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. face — to point toward
  24. toast — bread

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