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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. present — there
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. saw — the tool
  13. present — a gift
  14. bat — the animal
  15. present — the time now
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. plane — a tool
  19. board — a committee
  20. wake — a trail
  21. board — to get on
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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