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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: kick · bear · plane · firm · saw · wound · suit · lie

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wound — an injury
  3. suit — to fit
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. firm — a company
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. suit — in cards
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wound — an injury
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bear — the animal
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. lie — to recline
  20. firm — steady
  21. bear — the animal
  22. suit — clothes
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — in football

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