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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: firm · bear · mate · plane · kid · rock · face · mine

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. kid — to tease
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. plane — a tool
  6. face — part of the head
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bear — the animal
  10. kid — child
  11. face — to confront
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. rock — music
  14. firm — decided
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mine — for digging
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. mate — to breed
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — steady
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — a partner

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