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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: march · pop · face · nail · ruler · swing · plane · season

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. swing — to play on
  3. march — music
  4. season — in sport
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pop — soda
  8. face — to point toward
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. face — to confront
  11. swing — in golf
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pop — to visit
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. season — of the year
  17. march — the month
  18. face — part of the head
  19. march — the month
  20. pop — music
  21. plane — a tool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. swing — music
  24. season — to add flavour

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