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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: field · drill · lean · nail · plane · kick · lie · cabinet

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lean — to bend
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. field — farmland
  6. lie — to recline
  7. field — a subject
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. plane — a tool
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. lean — thin
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. field — for sport
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. drill — army training
  22. kick — in football
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. plane — an aircraft

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