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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. capital — a city
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bound — certain
  5. pound — a weight
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. rock — music
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bound — obliged
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. branch — a division
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. plane — a tool
  17. capital — money
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bound — tied together
  20. face — to confront
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. face — part of the head
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. wake — a trail

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