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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
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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: bay · prune · plane · craft · spring · rock · tube · lash

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. craft — boats
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — music
  9. tube — the underground
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. plane — a tool
  12. spring — the season
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. spring — of water
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. prune — to trim
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. rock — a stone

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