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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: pit · rest · sharp · lie · kick · dip · cabinet · plane

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. plane — a tool
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. sharp — clever
  9. kick — in football
  10. rest — a break
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. lie — to recline
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. pit — a hole
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. dip — to sink

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