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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: fine · face · row · ground · jam · ruler · content · plane

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. plane — a tool
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. face — to point toward
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. row — a line
  9. ground — a position
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fine — high quality
  12. row — to paddle
  13. face — to confront
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. ground — the earth
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. fine — all right
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. content — happy
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. ground — crushed
  23. content — the amount
  24. plane — an aircraft

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