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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: stand · face · bear · craft · mine · plane · bulb · spell

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. face — part of the head
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mine — for digging
  11. spell — magic
  12. face — to point toward
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — letters
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. craft — boats
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. bear — the animal
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stand — to bear
  24. craft — a handicraft

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