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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  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. wound — an injury
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stock — shares
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. wound — an injury
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wax — to grow
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stock — goods
  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