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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 116 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. can — a tin
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. lean — thin
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. lean — to bend
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wake — a trail
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. can — a tin
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. plane — a tool
  24. can — to be able to

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