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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: spring · pitcher · plane · court · wave · key · pass · lash

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. key — in music
  5. spring — of water
  6. key — for a lock
  7. court — of law
  8. plane — a tool
  9. court — for sport
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. spring — the season
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. court — of a king
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. spring — a coil

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