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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 120 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. spell — a short time
  4. firm — decided
  5. spell — letters
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. race — humankind
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. lean — thin
  11. race — a contest
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. spell — magic
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. scale — size or range
  17. firm — a company
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bore — to tire
  21. firm — steady
  22. race — the arms race
  23. scale — in music
  24. lean — to bend

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