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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. charge — electricity
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. craft — boats
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. swing — music
  10. charge — a price
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. craft — a skill
  14. charge — in control
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bat — the animal
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. degree — an amount
  22. swing — to play on
  23. plane — a tool
  24. degree — from a university

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