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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. cue — a signal
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. mate — to breed
  5. lean — to bend
  6. charge — in control
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pop — soda
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. lean — thin
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. charge — electricity
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. pop — to visit
  15. mate — a partner
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. charge — a price
  19. mate — a friend
  20. band — a ring
  21. pop — music
  22. band — a music group
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a hint

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