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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: jam · plane · cell · spring · lean · fan · degree · lash

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. degree — temperature
  4. spring — a coil
  5. spring — of water
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. lean — thin
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. cell — in biology
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. degree — an amount
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cell — a phone
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lean — to bend
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. spring — the season
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. degree — from a university
  24. plane — a tool

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