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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 120 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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. tube — a container
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. branch — a division
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. tube — the underground
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. lean — to bend
  11. foot — a measure
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. lie — to recline
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. row — a line
  18. row — to paddle
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. plane — a tool
  24. branch — of a tree

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