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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. present — the time now
  3. bass — low music
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bass — the fish
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bound — tied together
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rash — hasty
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. present — there
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — obliged
  18. present — a gift
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. jam — to spread on 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