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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ball — a dance
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. pound — a weight
  6. mate — a partner
  7. file — a tool
  8. kick — in football
  9. file — a document
  10. mate — a friend
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mate — to breed
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lie — to recline
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. suit — to fit
  21. file — a line of people
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. plane — a tool
  24. kick — with a leg

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