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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: bay · roll · plane · bore · season · lash

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. season — in sport
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. roll — a list
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bore — to drill
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bore — to tire
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. roll — a cake
  17. season — of the year
  18. roll — on a roll

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