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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. lean — to bend
  5. row — to paddle
  6. wake — a trail
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. lean — thin
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. row — a line
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. plane — a tool
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. lean — to rest against

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