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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: shower · date · swing · face · lash · can · mark · plane

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. date — the fruit
  4. face — to confront
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. swing — in golf
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. plane — a tool
  12. shower — to wash
  13. swing — to play on
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. can — a tin
  17. mark — a grade
  18. can — to be able to
  19. mark — a trace
  20. face — to point toward
  21. swing — music
  22. can — a tin
  23. face — part of the head
  24. plane — an aircraft

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