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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  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. scale — for weighing
  2. saw — the tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pit — a hole
  6. saw — the tool
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. scale — size or range
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bore — to drill
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. scale — in music
  22. bore — to tire
  23. lie — an untruth
  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