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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.

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: plane · pound · rock · bulb · file · rush · chair · lash

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. file — a tool
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. pound — a weight
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. file — a line of people
  9. plane — a tool
  10. file — a document
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chair — a leader
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. rock — music
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. plane — in geometry
  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