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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. swing — to play on
  4. last — finally
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. rush — hurry
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. last — final
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. chip — to eat
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. plane — a tool
  20. chip — for betting
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. last — to go on

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