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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.

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: plane · saw · dip · cue · lie · wound · bear · march

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cue — a signal
  5. march — music
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. march — the month
  9. lie — to recline
  10. wound — an injury
  11. cue — for pool
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. cue — a hint
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. plane — a tool
  16. wound — an injury
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. bear — the animal
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bear — the animal
  24. march — the month

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