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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. squash — the sport
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. stock — shares
  9. ball — a dance
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. squash — to crush
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. staff — employees
  18. ball — a great time
  19. staff — a stick
  20. stock — goods
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. staff — employees
  24. lash — an eyelash

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