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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. plane — a tool
  3. rule — a law
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a partner
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. content — the amount
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cold — not warm
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. content — happy
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. cold — an illness
  24. mate — a friend

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