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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. present — the time now
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. staff — employees
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. band — a ring
  11. chip — for betting
  12. band — a music group
  13. bass — the fish
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wind — moving air
  17. staff — employees
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. present — a gift
  21. wind — moving air
  22. staff — a stick
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. present — there

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