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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.

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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. file — a tool
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. mark — a trace
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. cue — a signal
  8. mark — a grade
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. plane — a tool
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. craft — boats
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. craft — a skill
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. cue — for pool
  18. file — a line of people
  19. cue — a hint
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. file — a document
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. jam — in traffic

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