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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. net — for catching
  3. roll — a list
  4. capital — a city
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. object — an aim
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. lie — to recline
  12. plane — a tool
  13. object — to protest
  14. race — humankind
  15. object — a thing
  16. capital — money
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — a contest
  19. toast — bread
  20. net — after costs
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. net — in sport
  24. lie — an untruth

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