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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. tube — the underground
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the fish
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wake — a trail
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pit — in a race
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. pit — a hole
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. tube — a container
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. wave — with your hand

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