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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. suit — in cards
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. suit — to fit
  6. lie — to recline
  7. suit — clothes
  8. saw — the tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — in cards
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. saw — the tool
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. snap — to click
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. plane — a tool
  20. kid — child
  21. kid — to tease
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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