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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: lash · current · club · spring · bear · pound · plane · calf

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. current — happening now
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. spring — the season
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. club — a group
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. current — electric
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. club — for dancing
  14. current — of water
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bear — the animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bear — the animal
  21. spring — of water
  22. pound — a weight
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. spring — a coil

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