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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. spring — the season
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. suit — to fit
  5. ball — a great time
  6. spring — a coil
  7. lean — to bend
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. current — electric
  13. suit — in cards
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. spring — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. ball — a dance
  19. suit — clothes
  20. plane — a tool
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. current — of water
  24. lean — thin

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