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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — a tool
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. fine — high quality
  6. firm — decided
  7. fall — to drop
  8. firm — steady
  9. fall — the season
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. ground — crushed
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. hand — help
  15. ground — the earth
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. vault — a safe
  18. ground — a position
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. fine — all right
  21. firm — a company
  22. fall — to drop
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. hand — in cards

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