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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. capital — money
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a song
  5. mark — a trace
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. chest — of your body
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. capital — a city
  10. chest — of your body
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. chest — a box
  14. mark — a grade
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. track — a path
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wave — of the sea

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