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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 120 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. press — to push
  5. squash — to crush
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. plane — a tool
  9. press — newspapers
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. tube — a container
  12. craft — boats
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. tube — the underground
  15. lie — to recline
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — the sport
  22. press — a publisher
  23. craft — a skill
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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