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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. last — finally
  4. mug — to rob
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. can — to be able to
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mate — a friend
  10. last — final
  11. hand — help
  12. mate — to breed
  13. lie — to recline
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. game — a match
  16. mate — a partner
  17. hand — in cards
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. can — a tin
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — a face
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. last — to go on
  24. can — a tin

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