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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 116 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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pop — to visit
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. capital — a city
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. capital — money
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. hand — in cards
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stock — shares
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. hand — help
  19. pop — music
  20. plane — a tool
  21. stock — goods
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pop — soda
  24. lie — to recline

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