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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. march — the month
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. march — the month
  12. plane — a tool
  13. march — music
  14. can — a tin
  15. stock — goods
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. ball — a dance
  20. sharp — clever
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. rock — music
  24. ball — a great time

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