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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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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: plane · last · bay · bore · racket · lash · craft · cap

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. cap — of ice
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. last — finally
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. craft — a skill
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bore — to drill
  16. last — to go on
  17. craft — boats
  18. bore — to tire
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. cap — a lid
  22. last — final
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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