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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: plane · lean · mug · rush · deal · lash · track · pound

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. mug — a cup
  3. lean — to bend
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. deal — to handle
  8. mug — a face
  9. rush — hurry
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. track — a path
  13. plane — a tool
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. track — a song
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. mug — to rob

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