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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. tube — a container
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. face — to confront
  5. bulb — for light
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. face — part of the head
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. plane — a tool
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. squash — to crush
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. face — to point toward
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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