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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. chest — of your body
  3. plane — a tool
  4. land — ground
  5. suit — in cards
  6. chest — of your body
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cue — a signal
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. chest — a box
  11. cue — for pool
  12. land — to come down
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cue — a hint
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. suit — to fit
  24. land — a country

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