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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. plane — a tool
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. stand — to bear
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wake — a trail
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — in football
  17. ball — a dance
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. face — to point toward
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. face — part of the head
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. face — to confront

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