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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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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: lash · calf · drill · arm · plane · rule · press · tube

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. tube — a container
  4. press — a publisher
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. plane — a tool
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. tube — the underground
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. drill — a practice
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. drill — army training
  18. rule — a law
  19. press — newspapers
  20. drill — the tool
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. press — to push
  23. rule — government
  24. arm — part of the body

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