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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.

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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: mark · rush · lash · plane · perch · pass

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. pass — a permit
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. plane — a tool
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rush — hurry
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. mark — a trace
  18. pass — to spend time

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