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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mark · board · face · foot · spell · bass · plane · chair

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bass — low music
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — magic
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. mark — a grade
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bass — the fish
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. board — a committee
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. spell — a short time
  19. face — part of the head
  20. face — to confront
  21. chair — a leader
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mark — a trace

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