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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. lie — to recline
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. spell — magic
  7. stand — to bear
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — a short time
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — completely
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cap — of ice
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — a lid
  24. mine — for digging

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