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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: face · staff · rest · present · plane · craft · bark · fall

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fall — the season
  4. face — part of the head
  5. present — the time now
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bark — to shout
  8. face — to point toward
  9. craft — boats
  10. present — there
  11. fall — to drop
  12. plane — a tool
  13. staff — employees
  14. fall — to drop
  15. craft — a skill
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. staff — employees
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. face — to confront
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. present — a gift

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