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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: lie · snap · rock · plane · date · pass · bulb · hide

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rock — a stone
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rock — music
  6. snap — to click
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. plane — a tool
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pass — a permit
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bulb — for light
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lie — an untruth

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