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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: last · plane · lie · pitcher · current · game · cabinet · fine

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. current — electric
  3. game — a match
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. game — wild animals
  9. lie — to recline
  10. fine — all right
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. last — final
  13. current — happening now
  14. plane — a tool
  15. last — to go on
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. last — finally
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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