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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 116 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: face · lie · plane · fall · branch · rock · fork · hide

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lie — to recline
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. face — part of the head
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. fall — to drop
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. fall — the season
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. plane — a tool
  15. fall — to drop
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — music
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. fork — in a road
  21. face — to point toward
  22. branch — a division
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. face — to confront

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