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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: plane · hide · mouse · face · perch · sharp · rest · bound

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. sharp — clever
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rest — a break
  7. bound — certain
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rest — what's left
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — part of the head
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bound — tied together

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