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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spring · lash · drill · ruler · pass · season · club · plane

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. drill — a practice
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. season — in sport
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pass — a permit
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. spring — of water
  13. season — of the year
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. drill — army training
  16. plane — a tool
  17. club — a group
  18. drill — the tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. club — for dancing
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. club — for golf
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. spring — a coil

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