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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. firm — a company
  4. hand — help
  5. charge — electricity
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. firm — decided
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. rest — what's left
  10. firm — steady
  11. hand — in cards
  12. pop — to visit
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. pop — soda
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. pop — music
  20. stand — to bear
  21. plane — a tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — in control
  24. stand — for spectators

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