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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. squash — the sport
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. wind — moving air
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. deal — to handle
  18. squash — to crush
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. dip — to sink
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. deal — an agreement

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