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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. can — a tin
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. key — for a lock
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. ball — a great time
  12. firm — decided
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. firm — steady
  15. can — to be able to
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. key — in music
  18. plane — a tool
  19. key — the most important part
  20. deal — to handle
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. firm — a company
  24. can — a tin

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