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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: date · bulb · ruler · plane · tube · bass · lash · ground

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bulb — for light
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. plane — a tool
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bass — the fish
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bass — low music
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ground — a position
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. ruler — for measuring

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