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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 black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mine — for digging
  8. cap — of ice
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — government
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bore — to drill
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. cap — a lid
  15. plane — a tool
  16. season — of the year
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. season — in sport
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cap — a hat

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