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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
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: tube · mine · lash · plane · foot · swing · wake · pitcher

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. plane — a tool
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. swing — music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. tube — a container
  12. swing — in golf
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. wake — a trail
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. foot — the bottom

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