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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bass — the fish
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. cap — a lid
  8. field — farmland
  9. cap — a hat
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. spell — magic
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. field — a subject
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. spell — letters
  18. field — for sport
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bass — low music
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bass — the instrument

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