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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bass — low music
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ground — crushed
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. track — to keep track
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. board — to get on
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bass — the fish
  18. stock — shares
  19. track — a path
  20. board — a committee
  21. track — a song
  22. stock — goods
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — the earth

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