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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  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. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. shower — rain
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. shower — to wash
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. press — a publisher
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. safe — out of danger
  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