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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. 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. bass — the instrument
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — decided
  5. tube — a container
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. firm — a company
  9. plane — a tool
  10. board — to get on
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bass — the fish
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. board — a committee
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bass — low music
  18. 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