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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a match
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bass — low music
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pitch — completely
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. plane — a tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. branch — a division
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. game — a kind of play

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