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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 120 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. present — there
  8. suit — clothes
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bat — the animal
  14. present — a gift
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fork — in a road
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. suit — in cards
  21. lean — to bend
  22. present — the time now
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. lean — thin

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