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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.

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: squash · plane · can · lie · bowl · lean · face · wave

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. squash — to crush
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. face — to confront
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. squash — the sport
  9. face — part of the head
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. face — to point toward
  14. plane — a tool
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. can — a tin
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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