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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. swing — to play on
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. swing — in golf
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wake — a trail
  14. fine — high quality
  15. swing — music
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. fine — all right
  21. net — after costs
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. net — for catching
  24. net — in sport

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