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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  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. can — a tin
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bass — low music
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. can — to be able to
  8. root — of a plant
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. wound — an injury
  12. root — the cause
  13. wound — an injury
  14. rash — a series
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rash — hasty
  20. can — a tin
  21. root — of a word
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bass — the fish
  24. plane — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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