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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — a safe
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. land — ground
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. hand — in cards
  13. land — a country
  14. band — a music group
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. hand — help
  18. pit — a hole
  19. band — a ring
  20. plane — a tool
  21. land — to come down
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — in a race

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