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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — a tool
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. object — an aim
  10. cap — a hat
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cap — a lid
  13. object — a thing
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. object — to protest
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. stem — to come from
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. wind — moving air
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cap — of ice
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lash — to lash out

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