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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
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: face · lie · lean · wind · hide · pass · can · plane

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lie — to recline
  6. face — to point toward
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. wind — moving air
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wind — moving air
  13. can — to be able to
  14. face — part of the head
  15. plane — a tool
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. can — a tin
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. can — a tin
  24. face — to confront

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