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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 116 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 asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. spell — letters
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. club — for dancing
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. plane — a tool
  10. kick — in football
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. club — for golf
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. club — a group
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bound — tied together
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. plane — in geometry

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