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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bass — the fish
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. court — of a king
  7. firm — steady
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. firm — decided
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. court — for sport
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a trace
  20. firm — a company
  21. plane — a tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bass — low music
  24. bass — the instrument

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