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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · plane · cap · rule · lie · mate · bat · suit

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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. squash — to crush
  4. rule — government
  5. rule — a law
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. suit — in cards
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bat — the animal
  12. mate — to breed
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mate — a friend
  15. cap — a lid
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — of ice
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. mate — a partner

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