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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.

Make a worksheet

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: present · plane · lash · suit · object · rest · rush · content

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. content — happy
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rest — what's left
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. present — there
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. rest — a break
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — a thing
  16. present — the time now
  17. object — to protest
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rest — what's left
  20. suit — clothes
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. content — the amount
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. present — a gift

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