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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. file — a line of people
  3. plane — a tool
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. lie — to recline
  8. file — a tool
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. scale — size or range
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stand — to bear
  14. file — a document
  15. bulb — for light
  16. scale — in music
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. chip — for betting
  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