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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  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 — a tool
  2. court — of law
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pit — in a race
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — a series
  11. firm — steady
  12. band — a ring
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. firm — a company
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. firm — decided
  17. bass — the fish
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. band — a music group
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bass — low music
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of a king
  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