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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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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. plane — a tool
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. charge — in control
  7. squash — the sport
  8. stand — to bear
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. chip — for betting
  12. squash — to crush
  13. charge — a price
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. chip — to eat
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lie — an untruth

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