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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cap — of ice
  3. spring — a coil
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. cap — a hat
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. club — a group
  9. plane — a tool
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. cap — a lid
  12. stock — shares
  13. spring — of water
  14. club — for golf
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. club — for dancing
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — hurry
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. spring — the season
  23. suit — clothes
  24. stock — goods

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