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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mug · wave · bowl · plane · date · spell · lash · cap

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. spell — letters
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. cap — of ice
  6. mug — to rob
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. spell — magic
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. date — the fruit
  14. mug — a cup
  15. spell — a short time
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. mug — a face
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. cap — a hat

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