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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: face · plane · track · ground · cell · pass · lean · lie

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. cell — a phone
  4. track — a path
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. ground — crushed
  7. lean — thin
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. face — to point toward
  10. cell — in biology
  11. track — to keep track
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — a position
  14. plane — a tool
  15. track — a song
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. face — to confront
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lean — to bend
  21. face — part of the head
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pass — a permit

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