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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: rush · bore · face · plane · lie · fall · bass · safe

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. fall — the season
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bass — the fish
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. face — to confront
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — to drill
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fall — to drop
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. face — part of the head
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bass — low music
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. plane — a tool
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. face — to point toward
  24. lie — to recline

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