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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. tube — a container
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. toast — bread
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the fish
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. plane — a tool
  14. press — newspapers
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. press — to push
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. press — a publisher
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — in a tire

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