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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: lie · toast · plane · land · straw · hide · fan · roll

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. lie — to recline
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. toast — bread
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. land — to come down
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. land — a country
  17. roll — a list
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. land — ground
  23. plane — a tool
  24. roll — a cake

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