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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. scale — in music
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. rule — government
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. rule — a law
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bear — the animal
  20. scale — size or range
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rule — to rule out

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