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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mate — a friend
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. spell — letters
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mate — to breed
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. spell — magic
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. spell — a short time
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bulb — for light
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. lean — thin
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mate — a partner

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