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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. lie — to recline
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. charge — a price
  7. rock — music
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — the fruit
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. rock — a stone
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. plane — an aircraft

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