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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. face — part of the head
  5. swing — to play on
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. face — to confront
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pop — soda
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. swing — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pass — a permit
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. wake — a trail
  19. swing — in golf
  20. plane — a tool
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. face — to point toward

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