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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fall — the season
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. mark — a grade
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. net — for catching
  11. fall — to drop
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a song
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. tube — a container
  21. plane — a tool
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mark — a trace
  24. track — a path

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