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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  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. plane — a tool
  2. last — to go on
  3. kid — to tease
  4. last — finally
  5. pitch — completely
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. kid — child
  8. season — in sport
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. staff — employees
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. season — of the year
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. last — final
  21. staff — employees
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. staff — a stick
  24. lash — a whip stroke

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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