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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.

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: plane · lash · hide · rash · swing · roll · suit · wave

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. roll — a cake
  3. rash — a series
  4. swing — music
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. swing — in golf
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. rash — hasty
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. roll — a list
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. swing — to play on
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. suit — to fit
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. plane — a 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