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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: snap · hide · rest · row · plane · lash · arm · cap

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. row — a line
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. snap — to click
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. cap — of ice
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. rest — what's left
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. cap — a lid
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cap — a hat
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. rest — a break
  24. plane — a tool

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