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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: face · ground · season · board · wave · mouse · plane · rash

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. face — to point toward
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rash — a series
  9. board — to get on
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. face — part of the head
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — in sport
  15. plane — a tool
  16. ground — the earth
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. board — a committee
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. ground — a position
  21. face — to confront
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. ground — crushed
  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