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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.

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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: cell · lash · can · bay · plane · wave · ruler · fall

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fall — to drop
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. fall — to drop
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fall — the season
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. can — a tin
  14. plane — a tool
  15. cell — in biology
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. cell — a phone
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. can — a tin
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. can — to be able to

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