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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: bay · ruler · suit · ground · land · hand · face · plane

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. ground — crushed
  3. face — part of the head
  4. ground — the earth
  5. suit — clothes
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. land — to come down
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. land — a country
  10. ground — a position
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. plane — a tool
  16. face — to point toward
  17. land — ground
  18. hand — help
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. face — to confront
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. suit — to fit
  24. hand — in cards

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