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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: face · plane · stand · calf · suit · object · toast · cap

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. object — to protest
  4. face — to confront
  5. cap — a hat
  6. face — part of the head
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. cap — of ice
  10. stand — to bear
  11. suit — to fit
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. object — a thing
  20. cap — a lid
  21. toast — bread
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. face — to point toward

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