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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: object · kid · rock · current · fan · plane · face · leaves

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. face — to point toward
  3. object — a thing
  4. face — part of the head
  5. plane — a tool
  6. face — to confront
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. kid — child
  9. rock — music
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. object — to protest
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. kid — to tease
  15. current — happening now
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. current — electric
  19. rock — a stone
  20. object — an aim
  21. current — of water
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. fan — a supporter

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