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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: bat · foot · lie · plane · key · saw · deal · cabinet

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. lie — to recline
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bat — the animal
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. saw — the tool
  14. deal — to handle
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. plane — a tool
  17. key — for a lock
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. key — in music
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. foot — a measure
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. foot — part of the body

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