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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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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. face — part of the head
  3. pop — soda
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. face — to point toward
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rest — a break
  9. suit — in cards
  10. face — to confront
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. pop — to visit
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. suit — clothes
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pop — music
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. trunk — of a car

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