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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. branch — a division
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. face — part of the head
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. scale — size or range
  9. plane — a tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. face — to confront
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. mine — for digging
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. saw — the tool
  19. face — to point toward
  20. chair — a leader
  21. scale — in music
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. chair — a professorship

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