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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. game — a match
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bulb — for light
  8. can — a tin
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. clip — a video
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. clip — for paper
  16. can — a tin
  17. game — wild animals
  18. wound — an injury
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bulb — for light
  21. clip — to cut
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wound — an injury

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