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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: face · bound · mate · fine · swing · plane · wound · root

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mate — to breed
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bound — tied together
  6. face — part of the head
  7. swing — to play on
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mate — a friend
  10. root — of a plant
  11. swing — music
  12. root — the cause
  13. face — to point toward
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. face — to confront
  17. fine — high quality
  18. root — of a word
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. plane — a tool
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bound — certain
  24. mate — a partner

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