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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: lash · fine · net · ruler · plane · bass · charge · patient

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. net — for catching
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bass — low music
  6. fine — all right
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fine — high quality
  9. net — in sport
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. charge — a price
  15. net — after costs
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bass — the fish
  21. plane — a tool
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. charge — in control
  24. lash — to lash out

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