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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.

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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: ball · last · prune · roll · plane · bear · face · chair

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. face — to confront
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. prune — to trim
  6. plane — a tool
  7. last — to go on
  8. bear — the animal
  9. roll — a list
  10. face — part of the head
  11. last — final
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a great time
  14. face — to point toward
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. roll — a cake
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ball — a dance
  23. last — finally
  24. plane — an aircraft

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