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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 124 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. can — to be able to
  4. plane — a tool
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. can — a tin
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. wake — a trail
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. snap — to click
  12. drill — a practice
  13. can — a tin
  14. drill — army training
  15. land — ground
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. drill — the tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. land — to come down
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. stand — to bear
  24. land — a country

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