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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. staff — employees
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. staff — employees
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. perch — the fish
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. staff — a stick
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. dip — to sink
  24. perch — for a bird

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