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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bass — the fish
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. bass — low music
  9. foot — a measure
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. pass — a permit
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. tube — the underground
  24. foot — part of the body

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