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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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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: plane · court · bank · rash · wave · track · face · leaves

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. court — for sport
  3. bank — for money
  4. face — part of the head
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. plane — a tool
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. court — of a king
  9. face — to point toward
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rash — hasty
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. track — a song
  15. track — a path
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. rash — a series
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. track — to keep track
  20. court — of law
  21. bank — for money
  22. face — to confront
  23. bank — of a river
  24. leaves — to go away

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