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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. last — final
  5. last — finally
  6. fine — high quality
  7. last — to go on
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. court — of law
  10. court — for sport
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bat — the animal
  14. fine — all right
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. plane — a tool
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. court — of a king
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. lie — to recline

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