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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
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: branch · fine · plane · face · land · stick · dip · bore

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bore — to tire
  3. face — to point toward
  4. land — to come down
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. branch — a division
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bore — to drill
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. land — ground
  15. plane — a tool
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. land — a country
  20. fine — all right
  21. face — to confront
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fine — high quality
  24. dip — to sink

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