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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a line
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to confront
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rash — a series
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. spell — magic
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. spell — a short time
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. spell — letters
  24. lie — an untruth

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