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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kick · suit · rock · lash · mark · hide · plane · cap

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. plane — a tool
  11. kick — in football
  12. rock — a stone
  13. cap — of ice
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mark — a grade
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. mark — a trace
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. cap — a lid
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. rock — music
  24. cap — a hat

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