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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. saw — the tool
  5. suit — to fit
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. land — a country
  8. land — to come down
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. lie — to recline
  11. suit — in cards
  12. plane — a tool
  13. degree — temperature
  14. degree — from a university
  15. suit — clothes
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. saw — the tool
  19. land — ground
  20. degree — an amount
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. hide — animal skin

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