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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. land — a country
  3. net — for catching
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. land — ground
  6. can — a tin
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. land — to come down
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. row — a line
  12. can — a tin
  13. row — to paddle
  14. net — in sport
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. plane — a tool
  18. can — to be able to
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. lie — to recline
  21. net — after costs
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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