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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: bass · object · mouse · wave · plane · lash · rule · bank

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. plane — a tool
  5. object — to protest
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bank — for money
  8. rule — government
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bass — the fish
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. object — an aim
  14. rule — a law
  15. bank — of a river
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. object — a thing
  19. bank — for money
  20. bass — low music
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bass — the instrument

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