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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. ball — a dance
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. craft — boats
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. craft — a skill
  14. present — a gift
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. present — there
  17. rest — a break
  18. present — the time now
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. plane — a tool
  21. rest — what's left
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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