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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bass — the fish
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bass — low music
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. stock — goods
  10. land — ground
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. land — to come down
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. land — a country
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. toast — bread
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. toast — a drink to someone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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