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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: clip · bulb · racket · row · pit · rash · lash · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pit — in a race
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. clip — for paper
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. clip — a video
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rash — a series
  12. pit — a hole
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bulb — for light
  20. clip — to cut
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. plane — a tool
  23. rash — hasty
  24. lash — to lash out

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