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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. face — to point toward
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. face — part of the head
  6. mine — for digging
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. face — to confront
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. band — a music group
  15. plane — a tool
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. prune — to trim
  19. band — a ring
  20. prune — to trim
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. calf — a young animal
  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