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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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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 · stick · leaves · swing · plane · wake · rest · ruler

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. face — to confront
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. face — part of the head
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rest — a break
  11. swing — music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rest — what's left
  15. plane — a tool
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. swing — to play on
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. face — to point toward
  21. wake — a trail
  22. swing — in golf
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. rest — what's left

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