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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.

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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bank — for money
  4. lean — thin
  5. plane — a tool
  6. cell — a phone
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bank — of a river
  9. lean — to bend
  10. cell — in biology
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. face — to point toward
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bank — for money
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. face — to confront
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. court — of a king
  23. suit — clothes
  24. court — for sport

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