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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. last — to go on
  8. can — a tin
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. suit — to fit
  11. can — to be able to
  12. scale — in music
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. last — final
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. suit — clothes
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. lie — to recline
  23. last — finally
  24. plane — in geometry

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