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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rest — a break
  3. lie — to recline
  4. chair — a leader
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. plane — a tool
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. mine — for digging
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rest — what's left
  18. deal — to handle
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rest — what's left

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