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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: bulb · toast · sharp · lie · kid · can · fan · plane

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. can — a tin
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. can — a tin
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. toast — bread
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. can — to be able to
  12. plane — a tool
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. sharp — clever
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lie — to recline
  20. kid — child
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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