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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. march — the month
  5. season — of the year
  6. capital — a city
  7. capital — money
  8. bulb — for light
  9. march — music
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. season — in sport
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. march — the month

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