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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. last — finally
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. last — final
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — the earth
  9. firm — a company
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. court — for sport
  15. rash — hasty
  16. plane — a tool
  17. last — to go on
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — steady
  21. rash — a series
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. ground — a position
  24. pitcher — a jug

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