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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. last — final
  6. net — in sport
  7. land — a country
  8. rash — hasty
  9. last — finally
  10. net — after costs
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mug — a cup
  13. craft — boats
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. last — to go on
  17. lie — to recline
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a face
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. land — to come down
  23. net — for catching
  24. land — ground

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