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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. kid — child
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. press — to push
  10. plane — a tool
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. press — newspapers
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. squash — the sport
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cold — not warm
  19. press — a publisher
  20. squash — to crush
  21. cold — an illness
  22. fine — all right
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. fine — high quality

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