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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. field — farmland
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. field — a subject
  6. suit — to fit
  7. current — happening now
  8. suit — in cards
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. club — for golf
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bear — the animal
  13. current — of water
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bear — the animal
  16. club — a group
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. plane — a tool
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. club — for dancing
  22. field — for sport
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. current — electric

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