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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: kick · object · kid · swing · rock · bay · plane · lie

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. swing — in golf
  12. kid — child
  13. object — a thing
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. rock — a stone
  17. swing — music
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rock — music
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — in football
  22. object — an aim
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. object — to protest

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