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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 116 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 · rock · tube · fan · bowl · plane · cue · chair

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rock — music
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. tube — a container
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. chair — a leader
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. tube — the underground
  21. plane — a tool
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bowl — to roll

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