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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 120 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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. plane — a tool
  3. suit — clothes
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. race — the arms race
  8. present — the time now
  9. court — for sport
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. suit — in cards
  14. present — a gift
  15. race — humankind
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. court — of a king
  18. wax — to grow
  19. suit — to fit
  20. race — a contest
  21. hand — in cards
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. hand — help
  24. present — there

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