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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: spring · plane · bark · bass · suit · lash · stand · root

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. spring — of water
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — low music
  8. root — the cause
  9. root — of a word
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. root — of a plant
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bark — to shout
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. suit — in cards
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. spring — the season
  23. suit — to fit
  24. lash — an eyelash

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