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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: mate · hand · plane · lean · bore · fan · lie · dip

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. hand — help
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mate — to breed
  6. lie — to recline
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bore — to drill
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. plane — a tool
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lean — thin
  16. bore — to tire
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. mate — a friend
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. lean — to bend
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — to sink
  23. mate — a partner
  24. dip — a sauce

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