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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: date · perch · shower · pop · lash · cabinet · plane · face

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. pop — soda
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. face — to point toward
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. pop — to visit
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pop — music
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. perch — the fish
  19. date — the fruit
  20. shower — to wash
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. face — to confront
  24. perch — for a bird

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