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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. plane — a tool
  3. track — a song
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stand — to bear
  6. deal — to handle
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. scale — in music
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. key — in music
  13. track — to keep track
  14. scale — size or range
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. key — for a lock
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. key — the most important part
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. track — a path

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