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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. clip — a video
  4. drill — the tool
  5. last — to go on
  6. plane — a tool
  7. firm — a company
  8. suit — clothes
  9. clip — to cut
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. clip — for paper
  13. drill — a practice
  14. lie — to recline
  15. firm — decided
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. suit — in cards
  18. drill — army training
  19. last — final
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. last — finally
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. firm — steady
  24. suit — to fit

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