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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · safe · hand · rest · game · face · lash · wound

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. face — part of the head
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. plane — a tool
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. rest — a break
  13. hand — in cards
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. face — to confront
  19. rest — what's left
  20. game — wild animals
  21. hand — help
  22. game — a match
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rest — what's left

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