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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. net — after costs
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. clip — a video
  5. bulb — for light
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bank — of a river
  10. clip — to cut
  11. net — for catching
  12. clip — for paper
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. wake — a trail
  17. plane — a tool
  18. net — in sport
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bank — for money
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bank — for money

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