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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: face · plane · stand · stick · board · hand · patient · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. face — to confront
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. plane — a tool
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. hand — help
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. hand — in cards
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. face — part of the head
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. face — to point toward
  22. board — to get on
  23. mark — a trace
  24. board — a committee

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