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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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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: wind · lash · toast · deal · tube · squash · ruler · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. deal — to handle
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. squash — to crush
  7. wind — moving air
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. tube — a container
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. toast — bread
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. plane — a tool
  18. wind — moving air
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. squash — the sport
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. lash — an eyelash

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