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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. face — to point toward
  4. root — of a word
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bass — low music
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. root — of a plant
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. charge — a price
  14. root — the cause
  15. mate — a partner
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bass — the fish
  18. charge — electricity
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mate — a friend
  21. rush — hurry
  22. charge — in control
  23. plane — a tool
  24. face — to confront

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