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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. row — to paddle
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bass — low music
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. pitch — completely
  16. row — a line
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. plane — a tool
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. kick — in football
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. toast — bread

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