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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.

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: board · face · plane · jam · wave · lie · spring · cap

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. board — a committee
  3. spring — a coil
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. face — to confront
  6. spring — the season
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. face — part of the head
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. spring — of water
  13. cap — a hat
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. cap — a lid
  17. plane — a tool
  18. face — to point toward
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. board — to get on
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. lie — to recline
  23. cap — of ice
  24. board — a flat piece

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