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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 · face · stem · ruler · stick · lean · season · pitch

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lean — thin
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to point toward
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. stem — to come from
  9. season — of the year
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. plane — a tool
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stem — a stem cell

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