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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 116 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: ground · face · patient · coach · cell · suit · bank · plane

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. cell — a phone
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ground — crushed
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. face — part of the head
  10. ground — the earth
  11. bank — for money
  12. plane — a tool
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. face — to point toward
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. face — to confront
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ground — a position

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