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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. face — part of the head
  6. row — a line
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. swing — music
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. face — to point toward
  17. swing — to play on
  18. race — the arms race
  19. face — to confront
  20. race — humankind
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. race — a contest
  24. row — to paddle

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