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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. ball — a great time
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. roll — a list
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. rush — hurry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ball — a dance
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. plane — a tool
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. roll — a cake

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