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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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rock — music
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. squash — to crush
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. rock — a stone
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. sharp — clever
  15. dip — to sink
  16. root — of a word
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bass — the fish
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — the cause
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. bass — low music

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