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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.

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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: mark · lie · face · chip · plane · nail · wound · rush

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — to confront
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. lie — to recline
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. chip — to eat
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. mark — a grade
  18. wound — an injury
  19. face — part of the head
  20. rush — hurry
  21. plane — a tool
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mark — a trace
  24. chip — for betting

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