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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 124 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. lie — to recline
  3. tube — a container
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. lean — to bend
  7. clip — a video
  8. ball — a dance
  9. clip — for paper
  10. plane — a tool
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. deal — to handle
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. saw — the tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. saw — the tool
  19. lean — thin
  20. tube — the underground
  21. clip — to cut
  22. ball — a great time
  23. tube — in a tire
  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