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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 120 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
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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: staff · lie · cap · squash · pass · plane · saw · arm

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. staff — employees
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. staff — employees
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. lie — to recline
  11. cap — a lid
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. staff — a stick
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — to crush
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a hat
  22. plane — a tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pass — a permit

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