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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: plane · net · lie · mate · key · deal · land · saw

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. saw — the tool
  4. land — a country
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — in music
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mate — a partner
  9. net — after costs
  10. mate — a friend
  11. lie — to recline
  12. land — to come down
  13. plane — a tool
  14. net — for catching
  15. land — ground
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. net — in sport
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. saw — the tool
  21. key — the most important part
  22. deal — to handle
  23. mate — to breed
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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