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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — in football
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. row — a line
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. row — to paddle
  9. perch — the fish
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. plane — a tool
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. toast — bread
  14. field — for sport
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. field — a subject
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. field — farmland

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