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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 120 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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. plane — a tool
  3. rule — government
  4. bass — low music
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. present — there
  8. face — part of the head
  9. present — the time now
  10. rule — a law
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. board — to get on
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. band — a ring
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. present — a gift
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — to point toward
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a music group

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