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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: plane · can · game · calf · sharp · firm · swing · lie

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. swing — to play on
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. firm — steady
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. game — wild animals
  14. lie — to recline
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. can — a tin
  17. swing — in golf
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — clever
  20. swing — music
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. game — a match
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. can — to be able to

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