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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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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: lie · kick · face · current · date · plane · kid · ruler

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to confront
  4. lie — to recline
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. date — the fruit
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kid — child
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. current — of water
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. kid — to tease
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. kick — in football
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. current — happening now
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. current — electric
  23. face — to point toward
  24. kick — a thrill

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