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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. can — a tin
  5. bore — to tire
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. content — the amount
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. bore — to drill
  11. can — to be able to
  12. craft — boats
  13. can — a tin
  14. craft — a skill
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. plane — a tool
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. content — happy
  24. lash — to lash out

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