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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. craft — a skill
  5. stock — goods
  6. board — to get on
  7. kick — in football
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. board — a committee
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. craft — boats
  16. scale — in music
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rock — a stone
  21. scale — size or range
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rock — music
  24. board — a flat piece

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