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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: tube · stand · deal · rock · field · plane · lash · mate

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. deal — to handle
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. tube — the underground
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. field — for sport
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stand — to bear
  12. field — farmland
  13. plane — a tool
  14. field — a subject
  15. rock — music
  16. mate — to breed
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. mate — a partner
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. tube — a container
  23. mate — a friend
  24. stand — for spectators

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