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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: lash · pit · pound · wave · perch · cell · plane · bore

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. plane — a tool
  6. perch — the fish
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bore — to drill
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. cell — in biology
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bore — to tire
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pound — a weight
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. cell — a phone
  23. pit — a hole
  24. plane — in geometry

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