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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. mug — a face
  7. last — to go on
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. shower — rain
  10. rash — hasty
  11. mug — a cup
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. last — finally
  15. sharp — clever
  16. lean — to bend
  17. shower — to wash
  18. lean — thin
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mug — to rob
  22. rash — a series
  23. last — final
  24. plane — in geometry

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