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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: face · spell · march · wind · leaves · plane · craft · branch

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. march — the month
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — magic
  5. branch — a division
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. march — the month
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. face — to point toward
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. wind — moving air
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to confront
  18. spell — letters
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. plane — a tool
  22. march — music
  23. wind — moving air
  24. leaves — to go away

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