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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 116 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: stand · face · tube · lean · last · leaves · plane · trunk

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. plane — a tool
  4. tube — the underground
  5. face — to point toward
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. last — finally
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. last — final
  10. tube — a container
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. stand — to bear
  14. lean — to bend
  15. face — part of the head
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. lean — thin
  19. last — to go on
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. stand — for spectators

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