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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 120 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  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. hand — part of the body
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. track — a path
  7. track — a song
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. rock — music
  10. hand — in cards
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. wake — a trail
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. stock — shares
  17. track — to keep track
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. hand — help
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — goods
  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