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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — music
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rest — what's left
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rock — a stone
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rest — a break
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bowl — a dish

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