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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. object — to protest
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. track — a path
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. object — an aim
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bear — the animal
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. deal — to handle
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. object — a thing
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. plane — a tool
  23. track — a song
  24. deal — a big deal

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