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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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. key — the most important part
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — in music
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rash — hasty
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rash — a series
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. plane — a tool
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fan — a supporter

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