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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. land — a country
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. content — the amount
  5. stock — goods
  6. object — an aim
  7. content — happy
  8. object — to protest
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. land — ground
  13. plane — a tool
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. object — a thing
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stock — shares
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. tube — a container
  22. land — to come down
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stock — a soup base

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