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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: safe · face · suit · ball · net · ground · plane · wake

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. net — in sport
  3. ground — crushed
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. net — for catching
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. plane — a tool
  9. face — to confront
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wake — a trail
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. face — to point toward
  18. net — after costs
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. suit — to fit
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. ball — a great time
  23. face — part of the head
  24. ball — a dance

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