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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 116 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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mark — a grade
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. suit — to fit
  8. mark — a trace
  9. fine — high quality
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. clip — a video
  12. board — to get on
  13. suit — in cards
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. tube — a container
  16. clip — for paper
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. plane — a tool
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. clip — to cut
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. tube — the underground
  24. board — a committee

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