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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bank — for money
  5. march — the month
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. lie — to recline
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bank — for money
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. spell — letters
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. march — the month
  21. march — music
  22. bank — of a river
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. plane — a tool

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