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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 120 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: lean · fork · plane · racket · staff · mine · lash · rush

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — for digging
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. plane — a tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — thin
  15. staff — employees
  16. rush — hurry
  17. staff — a stick
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. staff — employees
  24. fork — a garden tool

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