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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. plane — a tool
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. fan — to cool the air

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