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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: tube · fine · toast · last · plane · lash

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. tube — the underground
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. last — to go on
  9. fine — high quality
  10. last — final
  11. fine — all right
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. last — finally
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. toast — bread

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