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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. rock — a stone
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bat — the animal
  6. suit — to fit
  7. chip — to eat
  8. rock — music
  9. suit — clothes
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. suit — in cards
  12. lie — to recline
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. chip — for betting
  23. branch — a division
  24. rock — to move gently

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