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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 116 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. snap — to click
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lie — to recline
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. perch — the fish
  12. fork — in a road
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. spell — a short time
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. spell — magic
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. plane — a tool
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. land — to come down
  24. spell — letters

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