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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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. firm — a company
  4. perch — the fish
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. plane — a tool
  9. lie — to recline
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. chest — of your body
  12. deal — to handle
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. firm — steady
  17. chest — a box
  18. bank — of a river
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. firm — decided
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. deal — an agreement

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