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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. clip — for paper
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. object — an aim
  8. clip — a video
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. object — to protest
  13. ball — a great time
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. object — a thing
  17. wax — to grow
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. ball — a dance
  23. plane — a tool
  24. clip — to cut

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