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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 116 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: lash · bay · bear · ruler · spring · shower · deal · plane

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. spring — the season
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. deal — to handle
  13. spring — a coil
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. spring — of water
  17. plane — a tool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. shower — to wash
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. shower — rain
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lash — an eyelash

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