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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 120 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 · leaves · board · shower · plane · firm · nail · tear

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. firm — a company
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. plane — a tool
  9. shower — rain
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. tear — from crying
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. tear — from crying
  16. shower — to wash
  17. firm — steady
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. board — a committee
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. firm — decided
  24. board — to get on

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