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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. file — a document
  4. rock — a stone
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. capital — a city
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. suit — in cards
  11. file — a line of people
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. rock — music
  14. lie — to recline
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. capital — money
  18. suit — clothes
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. toast — bread
  22. file — a tool
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. toast — the most admired

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