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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: hide · fork · cabinet · plane · lash · stand · wave · rock

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. fork — in a road
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. rock — music
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. stand — to bear
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. plane — an aircraft

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