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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  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. bear — the animal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bear — the animal
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. land — a country
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — to crush
  13. roll — a cake
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. land — ground
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. land — to come down
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. plane — a tool
  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