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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. squash — to crush
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. plane — a tool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. stock — goods
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. lean — thin
  14. staff — employees
  15. stock — shares
  16. staff — employees
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. staff — a stick
  23. lean — to bend
  24. stock — a soup base

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