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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.

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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: safe · plane · foot · face · firm · toast · wind · date

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. date — the fruit
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. firm — decided
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. face — part of the head
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. foot — a measure
  10. wind — moving air
  11. firm — a company
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. firm — steady
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. wind — moving air
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. face — to point toward
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. face — to confront
  22. plane — a tool
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. date — on the calendar

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