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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. chest — of your body
  4. season — of the year
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. chest — of your body
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. season — in sport
  17. rash — a series
  18. chest — a box
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. rash — hasty
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. plane — a tool
  24. toast — bread

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