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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: wave · craft · plane · safe · ball · snap · face · lie

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. plane — a tool
  3. face — to confront
  4. snap — to click
  5. ball — a dance
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. face — to point toward
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. face — part of the head
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. lie — to recline
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lie — an untruth

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