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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: season · mine · fine · plane · face · arm · fall · suit

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. face — to point toward
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. season — of the year
  6. fine — all right
  7. mine — for digging
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. plane — a tool
  10. face — part of the head
  11. season — in sport
  12. face — to confront
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. fine — high quality
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fall — the season
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. fall — to drop
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fall — to drop

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