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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 116 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: rest · can · spell · face · kick · plane · lean · pound

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — a weight
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — part of the head
  12. spell — letters
  13. lean — thin
  14. plane — a tool
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — a short time
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. lean — to bend
  19. can — to be able to
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. kick — in football
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. rest — a break

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