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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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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: bank · face · snap · pit · wave · ground · plane · mark

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ground — a position
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. face — part of the head
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — the earth
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bank — for money
  13. pit — a hole
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. face — to confront
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mark — a trace
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bank — for money
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. plane — a tool
  24. mark — to pay attention

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