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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: plane · firm · kid · root · bank · sharp · season · lash

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bank — for money
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. season — in sport
  7. firm — a company
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. sharp — clever
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bank — for money
  13. root — of a word
  14. plane — a tool
  15. firm — steady
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. kid — to tease
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. kid — child
  20. firm — decided
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. root — the cause
  23. season — of the year
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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