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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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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: foot · scale · stand · plane · board · fall · net · face

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. scale — in music
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. board — a committee
  7. fall — to drop
  8. face — to confront
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. face — to point toward
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fall — to drop
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. face — part of the head
  18. fall — the season
  19. net — for catching
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. scale — size or range
  22. stand — to bear
  23. plane — a tool
  24. board — to get on

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