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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. rash — hasty
  3. face — to point toward
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. lean — to bend
  6. mate — a friend
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. face — to confront
  9. mug — a face
  10. face — part of the head
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mate — a partner
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. dip — to sink
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. rash — a series
  20. lean — thin
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. mate — to breed
  24. dip — to dunk

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