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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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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: row · charge · branch · bowl · face · ruler · plane · mate

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. plane — a tool
  3. face — to confront
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. face — to point toward
  10. branch — a division
  11. row — a line
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mate — to breed
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. charge — in control
  18. mate — a friend
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. face — part of the head
  22. row — to paddle
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — a price

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