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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 120 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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. plane — a tool
  4. snap — to click
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pop — to visit
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pop — soda
  15. chip — to eat
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. chip — for betting
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pop — music
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bulb — for light
  24. plane — in geometry

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