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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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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: lie · plane · pass · lash · rush · coach · mark · squash

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. rush — hurry
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — to crush
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mark — a trace
  14. pass — a permit
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. plane — a tool
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. lie — to recline
  24. plane — in geometry

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