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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: snap · fan · ball · fine · plane · lash · last · can

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. last — final
  4. can — a tin
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. can — to be able to
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. ball — a dance
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — high quality
  17. last — to go on
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. plane — a tool
  20. snap — to click
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. can — a tin
  24. last — finally

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