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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: roll · dip · bore · rest · face · pass · kid · plane

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. dip — to sink
  4. rest — what's left
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to tire
  8. roll — a cake
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. rest — a break
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bore — to drill
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. pass — a permit
  16. face — to point toward
  17. rest — what's left
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. plane — a tool
  22. kid — child
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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