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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 120 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: swing · march · face · plane · bay · dip · bulb · present

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. present — a gift
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. face — to point toward
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. face — to confront
  8. swing — to play on
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. march — music
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. face — part of the head
  14. march — the month
  15. march — the month
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bulb — for light
  18. present — there
  19. swing — music
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. dip — to sink
  22. swing — in golf
  23. present — the time now
  24. dip — a sauce

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