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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 120 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: game · march · ruler · stand · face · season · plane · can

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. game — a match
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. can — a tin
  7. plane — a tool
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — wild animals
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. season — of the year
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. season — in sport
  16. face — to point toward
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. march — music
  19. march — the month
  20. face — to confront
  21. stand — to bear
  22. can — to be able to
  23. face — part of the head
  24. can — a tin

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