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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.

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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 · plane · bore · capital · face · lie · cabinet · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bore — to drill
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. capital — a city
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. scale — size or range
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. face — to point toward
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. lie — to recline
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — a tool
  20. capital — money
  21. branch — a division
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. face — to confront
  24. lie — an untruth

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