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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: kid · suit · land · fine · face · deal · pop · plane

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. plane — a tool
  3. land — ground
  4. suit — clothes
  5. kid — child
  6. face — to confront
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pop — soda
  9. face — to point toward
  10. suit — in cards
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. fine — all right
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pop — music
  18. land — a country
  19. face — part of the head
  20. land — to come down
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. fine — high quality
  23. kid — to tease
  24. pop — to visit

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