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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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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: jam · face · dip · cabinet · calf · plane · track · hand

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  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. face — to point toward
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. track — a path
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. track — a song
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. track — to keep track
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. face — to confront
  16. hand — help
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. face — part of the head
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. hand — in cards
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. hand — part of the body
  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