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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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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: lash · date · rest · toast · bulb · pound · pass · plane

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. date — the fruit
  7. pass — a permit
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. toast — bread
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rest — what's left
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. pound — for dogs

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