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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: last · spell · fork · track · lash · plane · object · current

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. object — a thing
  4. spell — magic
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. last — to go on
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. track — a path
  13. last — final
  14. track — to keep track
  15. fork — in a road
  16. plane — a tool
  17. last — finally
  18. spell — letters
  19. object — to protest
  20. track — a song
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. current — of water
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. spell — a short time

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