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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: plane · tube · jam · bowl · bay · track · stand · face

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. face — part of the head
  3. track — a path
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. stand — to bear
  6. tube — the underground
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. track — to keep track
  13. plane — a tool
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — to confront
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. track — a song
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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