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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — an aim
  4. swing — music
  5. content — the amount
  6. dip — to sink
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. content — happy
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. object — a thing
  12. lie — to recline
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. cell — in biology
  18. cell — a phone
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. plane — a tool

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