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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. plane — a tool
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. kick — in football
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — a division
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. craft — a skill
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — of the year
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — to bear
  23. craft — boats
  24. plane — an aircraft

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