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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. can — to be able to
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. plane — a tool
  10. board — a committee
  11. bass — low music
  12. board — to get on
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. present — the time now
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. can — a tin
  18. date — the fruit
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. present — a gift
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bass — the fish
  24. present — there

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