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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. chest — a box
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. firm — steady
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bark — to shout
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bass — low music
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. firm — decided
  23. bass — the fish
  24. hide — to keep secret

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