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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.

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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — magic
  8. bass — low music
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bass — the fish
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rock — a stone
  13. fork — in a road
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. spell — letters
  18. rock — music

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