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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rush — hurry
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bass — low music
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wake — a trail
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. face — part of the head

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