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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 116 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. dip — to sink
  6. row — to paddle
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. clip — a video
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. firm — decided
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. firm — a company
  14. row — a line
  15. clip — to cut
  16. firm — steady
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. clip — for paper
  24. lie — to recline

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