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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 120 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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. row — to paddle
  4. pass — a permit
  5. net — for catching
  6. face — part of the head
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. plane — a tool
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. staff — a stick
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. net — after costs
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. face — to confront
  21. row — a line
  22. staff — employees
  23. net — in sport
  24. face — to point toward

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