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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. plane — a tool
  10. cue — for pool
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. cue — a signal
  15. stock — goods
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. stock — shares
  18. wake — a trail
  19. cue — a hint
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — a measure
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bass — low music

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