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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: plane · lash · ball · snap · rock · calf · bulb · tear

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. tear — to rip
  8. rock — music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ball — a great time
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. plane — a tool
  15. tear — from crying
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. rock — a stone
  21. ball — a dance
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. snap — to click
  24. plane — an aircraft

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