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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pop — music
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. lie — to recline
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — a division
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pop — soda
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stand — to bear
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bulb — for light
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fan — to cool the air

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