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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 116 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. lie — to recline
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. rock — music
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. spell — magic
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. spell — a short time
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. file — a document
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. content — the amount
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. content — happy
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  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