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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. charge — in control
  3. kick — in football
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. charge — electricity
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. sharp — clever
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rest — a break
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. charge — a price
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. sharp — exactly

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