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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. swing — in golf
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. swing — music
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. hand — help
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. lie — to recline
  11. hand — in cards
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. scale — in music
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. plane — a tool
  17. scale — size or range
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rush — hurry
  20. swing — to play on
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — a cake
  24. scale — for weighing

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