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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: face · can · land · plane · hide · bank · pound · band

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. land — ground
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bank — of a river
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. can — a tin
  9. bank — for money
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bank — for money
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. face — part of the head
  14. band — a ring
  15. can — to be able to
  16. face — to point toward
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. land — to come down
  19. face — to confront
  20. plane — a tool
  21. land — a country
  22. band — a music group
  23. pound — a weight
  24. band — a rubber band

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