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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rash — hasty
  3. key — for a lock
  4. club — a group
  5. rash — a series
  6. club — for golf
  7. key — in music
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. track — a path
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. plane — a tool
  15. track — a song
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. track — to keep track
  18. key — the most important part
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. club — for dancing

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