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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. ground — crushed
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. prune — to trim
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ground — a position
  19. staff — employees
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lie — to recline
  23. ground — the earth
  24. prune — to trim

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