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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. cue — a hint
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cue — for pool
  7. fine — high quality
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bass — the fish
  14. fine — all right
  15. bass — low music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cue — a signal
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. ruler — a monarch

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