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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 120 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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fine — all right
  5. rest — a break
  6. key — in music
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ground — a position
  9. cue — a hint
  10. plane — a tool
  11. hand — in cards
  12. ground — crushed
  13. cue — a signal
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — help
  16. fine — high quality
  17. key — the most important part
  18. cue — for pool
  19. lie — to recline
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. rest — what's left
  24. key — for a lock

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