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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — for catching
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. present — there
  12. present — a gift
  13. mug — a face
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. mug — to rob
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. present — the time now
  18. plane — a tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bay — a horse colour

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