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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 120 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: branch · lean · plane · sharp · rest · staff · dip · face

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. face — to point toward
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — clever
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. face — part of the head
  8. rest — what's left
  9. lean — to bend
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. lean — thin
  13. dip — to sink
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. staff — employees
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. face — to confront
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. staff — employees
  24. lean — to rest against

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