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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · present · key · date · can · bank · pass · plane

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. date — the fruit
  5. can — to be able to
  6. face — to confront
  7. plane — a tool
  8. face — part of the head
  9. key — the most important part
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. present — a gift
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. can — a tin
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. key — for a lock
  18. face — to point toward
  19. key — in music
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. pass — a permit

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