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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. game — wild animals
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. rule — government
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. game — a match
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rule — a law
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. dip — to sink
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. band — a ring
  18. pass — a permit
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. band — a music group
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. deal — to handle

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