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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. rash — a series
  3. capital — money
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — a tool
  8. capital — a city
  9. bound — tied together
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bound — obliged
  14. vault — a safe
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rash — hasty
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bound — certain
  24. lash — an eyelash

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