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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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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: shower · plane · stick · face · kick · nail · lie · pass

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — a tool
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. face — to confront
  7. lie — to recline
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. kick — in football
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. shower — to wash
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. face — to point toward
  18. shower — rain
  19. pass — a permit
  20. face — part of the head
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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