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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: drill · firm · date · foot · saw · content · face · plane

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. plane — a tool
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. content — the amount
  7. saw — the tool
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. face — to point toward
  10. drill — a practice
  11. firm — decided
  12. content — happy
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. foot — a measure
  15. drill — the tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. face — part of the head
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — steady
  20. date — the fruit
  21. drill — army training
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. face — to confront
  24. plane — an aircraft

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