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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. rule — government
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. plane — a tool
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. toast — bread
  8. vault — a safe
  9. mug — a face
  10. march — music
  11. rule — a law
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. march — the month
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. march — the month
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. mug — to rob

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