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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. swing — in golf
  6. tear — from crying
  7. club — a group
  8. staff — employees
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — a safe
  11. swing — to play on
  12. tear — from crying
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. tear — to rip
  15. club — for golf
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. plane — a tool
  18. club — for dancing
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pound — a weight
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. swing — music
  24. pound — for dogs

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