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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. fine — high quality
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. fine — all right
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bass — the fish
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bass — low music
  23. pass — a permit
  24. plane — a tool

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