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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 · wave · ball · lie · cabinet · mouse · kid · prune

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. kid — to tease
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. plane — a tool
  9. ball — a great time
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. ball — a dance
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. kid — child
  20. lie — to recline
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wave — of the sea

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