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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. roll — a cake
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. rash — hasty
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — of the year
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. roll — a list
  14. wax — to grow
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. pitch — completely
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. foot — a measure
  20. season — in sport
  21. plane — a tool
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — on the skin

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