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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. mark — a trace
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. spring — of water
  8. mark — a grade
  9. spring — a coil
  10. plane — a tool
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — part of the head
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. spring — the season
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. face — to confront
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. arm — a part of something

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