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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: track · content · face · plane · bowl · stick · pass · arm

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. content — happy
  5. pass — a permit
  6. face — to point toward
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. face — to confront
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. plane — a tool
  12. track — a path
  13. track — a song
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. track — to keep track

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