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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bass — low music
  3. drill — a practice
  4. season — in sport
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. season — of the year
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. chair — a leader
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. drill — the tool
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. drill — army training
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bass — the fish
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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