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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 120 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. mate — a friend
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. track — a song
  5. mate — to breed
  6. track — a path
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. track — to keep track
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. craft — boats
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. craft — a skill
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bat — the animal
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. plane — a tool
  24. mate — a partner

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