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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bass — low music
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. key — for a lock
  8. fork — in a road
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. key — in music
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bear — the animal
  13. key — the most important part
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bear — the animal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. plane — a tool
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. fork — a garden tool

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