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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 120 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. face — part of the head
  3. bass — the fish
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — for catching
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. deal — to handle
  8. cap — of ice
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cap — a hat
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. rest — what's left
  14. net — in sport
  15. bass — low music
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. face — to confront
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — a safe
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cap — a lid
  24. face — to point toward

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