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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. ground — crushed
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. plane — a tool
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stock — goods
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. ground — the earth
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bass — low music
  14. tube — a container
  15. stock — shares
  16. bass — the fish
  17. tube — the underground
  18. ground — a position

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