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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 116 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. fall — the season
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. face — to confront
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cell — a phone
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. lean — to bend
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. lean — thin
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. fall — to drop
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. face — to point toward
  21. plane — a tool
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. fall — to drop

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