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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bore · bear · plane · file · mouse · craft · stand · face

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bore — to tire
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. file — a line of people
  10. stand — to bear
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. craft — boats
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. face — to point toward
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bear — the animal
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bore — to drill
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. file — a document
  23. file — a tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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