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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. hand — help
  10. dip — to sink
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. hand — in cards
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rock — a stone
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pitch — completely
  24. rock — music

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