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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 120 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 · mate · mouse · lash · pitch · net · craft · bark

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. craft — a skill
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bark — to shout
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. net — after costs
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. net — in sport
  13. pitch — completely
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mate — a partner
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. net — for catching
  23. mate — to breed
  24. plane — a tool

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