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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. tear — from crying
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. tear — from crying
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. tear — to rip
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cell — in biology
  19. cell — a phone
  20. plane — a tool
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lie — to recline
  23. rock — a stone
  24. pitcher — a jug

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