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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bass — the fish
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — clever
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — army training
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bass — low music
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. drill — a practice
  17. mate — a partner
  18. plane — a tool

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