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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — to come from
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — a weight
  15. stock — goods
  16. craft — a skill
  17. stock — shares
  18. wax — to grow
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. craft — boats
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. lash — to lash out

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