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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. fall — to drop
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pit — in a race
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. hand — help
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. pit — a hole
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. fall — the season
  20. hand — in cards
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bowl — a football final

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