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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bass — the fish
  4. mark — a grade
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. club — for dancing
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. clip — for paper
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. club — for golf
  17. clip — to cut
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. club — a group
  20. fall — the season
  21. lie — to recline
  22. clip — a video
  23. bass — low music
  24. plane — a tool

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