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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.

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: racket · prune · face · club · content · plane · leaves · nail

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. prune — to trim
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. club — for dancing
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. content — the amount
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. face — to confront
  13. plane — a tool
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. prune — to trim
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. content — happy
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. club — a group
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. club — for golf

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