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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: object · pass · plane · racket · lash · last · bat · wave

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. last — finally
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pass — a permit
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. plane — a tool
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. object — to protest
  20. last — final
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bat — the animal
  24. last — to go on

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