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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 112 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. spell — magic
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. spell — a short time
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rest — a break
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. shower — rain
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. spell — letters
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. shower — to wash
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. rest — what's left

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