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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
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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: rush · nail · plane · lash · net · ball · season · land

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. plane — a tool
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. net — after costs
  5. season — of the year
  6. rush — hurry
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. land — ground
  10. net — in sport
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. net — for catching
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. land — to come down
  16. season — in sport
  17. land — a country
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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