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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. mark — a grade
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. can — a tin
  12. cell — a phone
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mark — a trace
  15. cell — in biology
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. can — to be able to
  18. plane — a tool
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. can — a tin
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wind — moving air
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. wake — before a funeral

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