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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. plane — a tool
  3. present — a gift
  4. cue — a signal
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. track — a song
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — music
  9. cue — for pool
  10. track — to keep track
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. cue — a hint
  13. fine — all right
  14. present — the time now
  15. hand — in cards
  16. swing — in golf
  17. fine — high quality
  18. track — a path
  19. hand — help
  20. present — there
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. lie — to recline

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