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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. ball — a great time
  3. present — the time now
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. ball — a dance
  7. suit — to fit
  8. present — a gift
  9. rule — government
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. suit — clothes
  12. snap — to click
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. stand — to bear
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. rule — a law
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. plane — a tool
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. present — there

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