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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. fine — all right
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. swing — in golf
  7. plane — a tool
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bulb — for light
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bulb — for light
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. swing — to play on
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. swing — music

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