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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. cap — a lid
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. cap — of ice
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cap — a hat
  20. plane — a tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. key — the most important part
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. lie — to recline

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