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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 116 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 · mark · dip · bowl · cell · plane · rest · fan

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. mark — a grade
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rest — what's left
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cell — a phone
  11. rest — what's left
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. lie — to recline
  14. cell — in biology
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. rest — a break
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bowl — to roll

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