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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: file · toast · lash · bank · sharp · tube · plane · wave

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. plane — a tool
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. file — a tool
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. file — a document
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bank — for money
  17. tube — the underground
  18. file — a line of people
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. sharp — clever

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