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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: bowl · pass · drill · face · plane · root · swing · staff

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. pass — a permit
  4. face — to point toward
  5. swing — to play on
  6. staff — employees
  7. drill — the tool
  8. staff — employees
  9. root — of a word
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. root — the cause
  15. staff — a stick
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. drill — army training
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. drill — a practice
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — music
  23. root — of a plant
  24. face — to confront

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