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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 124 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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. plane — a tool
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. wake — a trail
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. safe — out of danger

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