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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. hand — in cards
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — goods
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bass — low music
  13. season — of the year
  14. plane — a tool
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. suit — clothes
  19. game — wild animals
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. hand — help
  22. bass — the fish
  23. season — in sport
  24. suit — to fit

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