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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. staff — a stick
  8. chest — of your body
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — the season
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rush — hurry
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. chest — a box
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. fall — to drop
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — a safe
  22. staff — employees
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. staff — employees

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