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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 116 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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. rest — a break
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. plane — a tool
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rush — hurry
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. current — happening now
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. snap — to click
  19. bass — low music
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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