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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: stem · face · plane · bowl · cabinet · wake · foot · bark

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. face — part of the head
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. foot — a measure
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — to shout
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. stem — to come from
  20. face — to confront
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. face — to point toward
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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