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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. lie — to recline
  5. can — to be able to
  6. squash — the sport
  7. key — the most important part
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. can — a tin
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. kid — to tease
  15. prune — to trim
  16. squash — to crush
  17. plane — a tool
  18. kid — child
  19. can — a tin
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — in music
  23. deal — to handle
  24. squash — the vegetable

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