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

Word bank: plane · rest · court · row · lash · spell · lie · vault

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. rest — what's left
  5. row — a line
  6. spell — a short time
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. vault — a safe
  9. plane — a tool
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. rest — a break
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. court — of law
  17. row — to paddle
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. court — of a king
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — letters
  22. lie — to recline
  23. court — for sport
  24. rest — what's left

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