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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: bank · drill · bound · bowl · face · plane · bear · mate

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. bank — for money
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — obliged
  6. face — part of the head
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bank — for money
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. face — to point toward
  12. drill — army training
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bound — certain
  15. plane — a tool
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bear — the animal
  19. drill — a practice
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bowl — to roll

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