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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. club — for golf
  7. bass — low music
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. dip — to sink
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bass — the fish
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. club — for dancing
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. club — a group
  22. key — the most important part
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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