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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. charge — electricity
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. bass — the fish
  9. clip — a video
  10. charge — a price
  11. hand — help
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. hand — in cards
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. clip — to cut
  16. charge — in control
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bass — low music
  19. rush — hurry
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. clip — for paper
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. plane — a tool
  24. lash — an eyelash

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