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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. march — the month
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. march — the month
  6. bulb — for light
  7. plane — a tool
  8. vault — a safe
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. march — music
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bulb — for light
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. wound — an injury
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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