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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. plane — a tool
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. fall — to drop
  7. charge — electricity
  8. present — the time now
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — in control
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. fall — to drop
  13. present — a gift
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. suit — clothes
  17. present — there
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — to shout
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. fall — the season

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