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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. firm — decided
  3. squash — to crush
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — steady
  7. board — to get on
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. board — a committee
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. net — for catching
  14. squash — the sport
  15. key — for a lock
  16. plane — a tool
  17. net — after costs
  18. foot — a measure
  19. key — in music
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. key — the most important part
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. net — in sport

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