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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 120 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: plane · prune · mine · face · rush · mug · bank · perch

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. perch — the fish
  6. mug — a face
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bank — for money
  12. face — part of the head
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bank — for money
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. bank — of a river
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. face — to confront
  24. perch — for a bird

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