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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bass — the fish
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. net — after costs
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. rash — hasty
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. plane — a tool
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. net — in sport
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rash — a series
  20. suit — to fit
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. net — for catching
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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