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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  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. lie — to recline
  2. board — to get on
  3. rock — a stone
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. wound — an injury
  6. kid — child
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. board — a committee
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rock — music
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. deal — to handle
  22. kid — to tease
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  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