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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. content — happy
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. cap — a lid
  8. lie — to recline
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pit — a hole
  11. rush — hurry
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cap — of ice
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. content — the amount
  19. object — to protest
  20. pit — in a race
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. object — a thing
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rush — to hurry

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