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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 116 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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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: bay · stand · rock · mug · plane · face · wind · fork

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to confront
  4. wind — moving air
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — to rob
  7. rock — music
  8. fork — in a road
  9. rock — a stone
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. plane — a tool
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. mug — a face
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. face — to point toward
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. rock — to move gently

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