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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: face · bulb · nail · fan · foot · cabinet · kid · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. kid — child
  4. bulb — for light
  5. face — to confront
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. kid — to tease
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — part of the head
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. foot — a measure
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. plane — a tool
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. nail — on a finger

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