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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. current — electric
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. dip — to sink
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. current — of water
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. current — happening now
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ball — a great time
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bark — to shout
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. dip — to dunk

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