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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: squash · fall · plane · track · face · present · pound · saw

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. present — the time now
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fall — the season
  7. track — to keep track
  8. squash — the sport
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pound — a weight
  11. track — a song
  12. fall — to drop
  13. present — there
  14. face — to confront
  15. fall — to drop
  16. track — a path
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. face — part of the head
  19. plane — a tool
  20. squash — to crush
  21. present — a gift
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. face — to point toward
  24. pound — for dogs

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