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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: face · bore · club · leaves · rock · plane · chest · key

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. club — for golf
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. chest — a box
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. key — in music
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. rock — a stone
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bore — to tire
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chest — of your body
  14. club — a group
  15. face — to confront
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bore — to drill
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — part of the head
  20. key — the most important part
  21. plane — a tool
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. rock — to move gently

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