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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: perch · mate · mark · lash · stock · plane · face · race

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. race — a contest
  3. mate — a friend
  4. face — to confront
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. stock — shares
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mark — a grade
  10. stock — goods
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. race — humankind
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mate — to breed
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — part of the head
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. race — the arms race
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. perch — the fish
  24. mate — a partner

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