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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mate — a friend
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — a short time
  13. mate — to breed
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mate — a partner
  17. spell — magic
  18. fan — to cool the air

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