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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bass — the fish
  3. present — the time now
  4. plane — a tool
  5. date — the fruit
  6. present — there
  7. swing — in golf
  8. drill — a practice
  9. firm — a company
  10. charge — electricity
  11. firm — decided
  12. bass — low music
  13. drill — army training
  14. swing — to play on
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. drill — the tool
  18. charge — a price
  19. present — a gift
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. charge — in control
  22. swing — music
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. firm — steady

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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