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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 120 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. race — humankind
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. last — final
  13. race — a contest
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. last — to go on
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. lean — to bend
  20. last — finally
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. race — the arms race

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