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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — a friend
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. pass — a permit
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mate — to breed
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. hand — help
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. foot — a measure
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. plane — a tool
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. hand — in cards
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — a stone

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