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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bass — the fish
  7. net — in sport
  8. march — the month
  9. net — for catching
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. march — the month
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. face — to confront
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bass — low music
  20. net — after costs
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. face — part of the head
  24. plane — a tool

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