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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: arm · charge · mate · hide · face · row · plane · pass

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. charge — electricity
  6. face — part of the head
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. mate — to breed
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. charge — in control
  11. pass — a permit
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. face — to confront
  14. mate — a partner
  15. charge — a price
  16. row — a line
  17. plane — a tool
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mate — a friend
  20. face — to point toward
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. row — to paddle
  24. pass — to succeed

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