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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. plane — a tool
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — the time now
  12. mark — a grade
  13. present — there
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. tube — the underground
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — shares
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. tube — a container

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