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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: mark · lash · plane · swing · dip · nail · club · spell

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. mark — a trace
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. spell — letters
  8. swing — to play on
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. club — for dancing
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. spell — a short time
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. club — a group
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. plane — a tool
  20. club — for golf
  21. mark — a grade
  22. spell — magic
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. swing — in golf

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