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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rest — a break
  4. rash — a series
  5. pit — in a race
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. drill — a practice
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. charge — electricity
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. rash — hasty
  12. charge — a price
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. drill — army training
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. date — the fruit
  18. plane — a tool
  19. charge — in control
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. drill — the tool
  24. date — on the calendar

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