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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: spring · racket · plane · mouse · foot · rest · fork · lash

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rest — a break
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. spring — the season
  8. fork — in a road
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. spring — of water
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. plane — a tool
  18. spring — a coil
  19. foot — a measure
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. rest — what's left

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