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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. drill — the tool
  5. plane — a tool
  6. tear — to rip
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. can — a tin
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. can — to be able to
  15. tear — from crying
  16. drill — army training
  17. suit — to fit
  18. drill — a practice
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. can — a tin
  22. tear — from crying
  23. lie — to recline
  24. season — in sport

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