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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. can — a tin
  2. mate — a partner
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. root — of a word
  5. sharp — clever
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. perch — the fish
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. mate — to breed
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. can — a tin
  14. root — of a plant
  15. mate — a friend
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. can — to be able to
  20. plane — a tool
  21. root — the cause
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bass — the instrument

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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