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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: object · lean · row · mark · face · ball · plane · bat

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. row — a line
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bat — the animal
  7. object — an aim
  8. face — to point toward
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. face — part of the head
  11. lean — thin
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mark — a trace
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. face — to confront
  17. object — a thing
  18. lean — to bend
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. object — to protest
  24. plane — a tool

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