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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: plane · fine · snap · fan · bay · lie · cap · pit

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. cap — a lid
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. cap — a hat
  12. snap — to click
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pit — a hole
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. lie — to recline
  20. plane — a tool
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. fine — all right
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. cap — of ice

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