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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. firm — steady
  3. land — ground
  4. land — a country
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. land — to come down
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — to play on
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. swing — in golf
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. firm — a company
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bank — of a river
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. firm — decided
  24. plane — a tool

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