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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bear — the animal
  3. object — an aim
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. face — to point toward
  7. plane — a tool
  8. spring — of water
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bear — the animal
  11. object — to protest
  12. face — part of the head
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. spring — a coil
  17. craft — a skill
  18. lie — to recline
  19. spring — the season
  20. craft — boats
  21. face — to confront
  22. stand — to bear
  23. object — a thing
  24. bear — to put up with

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