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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: leaves · arm · spell · branch · plane · firm · face · date

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. face — to confront
  5. branch — a division
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. spell — letters
  8. face — part of the head
  9. spell — a short time
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. firm — decided
  12. face — to point toward
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. spell — magic
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. firm — steady
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. firm — a company
  21. plane — a tool
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — the fruit

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