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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 116 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. track — to keep track
  5. wound — an injury
  6. stock — shares
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. wound — an injury
  11. plane — a tool
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. stock — goods
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — a permit
  21. lean — thin
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. track — a song

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