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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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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: ground · fan · spell · deal · net · lash · plane · rock

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. plane — a tool
  5. spell — magic
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. spell — a short time
  9. net — for catching
  10. ground — a position
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. spell — letters
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. net — after costs
  17. rock — music
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. net — in sport
  20. ground — the earth
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. rock — a stone
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. ground — crushed

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