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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. fine — high quality
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rash — a series
  10. fine — all right
  11. craft — boats
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bass — low music
  21. rash — hasty
  22. kick — in football
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bass — the fish

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