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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: saw · branch · bass · face · root · plane · field · pit

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. field — farmland
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. root — the cause
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. face — to point toward
  9. root — of a plant
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. face — part of the head
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. field — for sport
  17. root — of a word
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. field — a subject
  20. branch — a division
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. face — to confront
  24. pit — in a race

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