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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: plane · lash · charge · track · wind · safe · shower · ruler

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. track — a path
  7. plane — a tool
  8. shower — rain
  9. track — to keep track
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. charge — electricity
  14. wind — moving air
  15. track — a song
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. charge — a price
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. charge — in control
  22. shower — to wash
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. ruler — for measuring

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