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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: plane · bound · charge · face · nail · pound · mark · craft

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. charge — electricity
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. pound — a weight
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. charge — a price
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bound — tied together
  14. face — to point toward
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bound — obliged
  17. face — part of the head
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. charge — in control
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bound — certain
  22. craft — boats
  23. face — to confront
  24. craft — a handicraft

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