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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 · rock · fan · lash · last · pass · bass · hand

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. last — to go on
  5. rock — music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. hand — in cards
  9. last — finally
  10. pass — a permit
  11. rock — a stone
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bass — low music
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. last — final
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bass — the fish
  23. hand — help
  24. plane — an aircraft

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