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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. plane — a tool
  7. roll — a cake
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. roll — a list
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bear — the animal
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. suit — clothes
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bear — the animal
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. racket — a loud noise

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