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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. plane — a tool
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cap — a hat
  7. stand — to bear
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. foot — a measure
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bore — to drill
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cap — of ice
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. cap — a lid
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — government

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