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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.

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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: plane · track · bear · trunk · pop · staff · mark · face

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. face — to confront
  3. mark — a grade
  4. plane — a tool
  5. mark — a trace
  6. track — a song
  7. face — part of the head
  8. track — a path
  9. staff — employees
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. face — to point toward
  12. track — to keep track
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pop — soda
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. staff — employees
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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