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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.

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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: tube · fine · toast · last · plane · lash · vault · mark

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. last — finally
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. toast — bread
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. tube — the underground
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. fine — all right
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. tube — a container
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. mark — a trace
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. fine — high quality
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — a tool
  20. last — final
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — a safe
  23. mark — a grade
  24. last — to go on

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