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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: tube · rest · pitcher · saw · cap · lash · mouse · plane

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. cap — a hat
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. saw — the tool
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. tube — a container
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. tube — the underground
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a lid
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rest — a break
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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