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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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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: deal · rest · lean · bay · plane · lash · bass · bear

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. plane — a tool
  5. deal — to handle
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bass — low music
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bass — the fish
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lean — to bend
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. lean — thin
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rest — a break

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