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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  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. lash — to lash out
  2. land — to come down
  3. mate — a partner
  4. fine — high quality
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. pitch — completely
  13. land — ground
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. fine — all right
  16. mate — to breed
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. land — a country
  20. dip — to sink
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. mate — a friend
  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