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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bark — to shout
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. kid — to tease
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lie — to recline
  14. hand — help
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. cue — for pool
  17. prune — to trim
  18. kid — child
  19. cue — a hint
  20. prune — to trim
  21. plane — a tool
  22. cue — a signal
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. calf — a young animal

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