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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: perch · plane · swing · rule · snap · suit · lash · pass

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. snap — to click
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — in golf
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. plane — a tool
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rule — a law
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. perch — the fish
  20. suit — clothes
  21. swing — music
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. pass — a permit

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