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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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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: pass · lash · plane · tube · nail · spell · firm · lean

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. spell — letters
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. firm — decided
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. firm — steady
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lean — thin
  18. pass — a permit
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. tube — a container
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. tube — the underground
  24. firm — a company

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