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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bat — the animal
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. swing — music
  6. staff — employees
  7. bass — the fish
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. staff — employees
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. swing — to play on
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bass — low music
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. lie — to recline
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. swing — in golf
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. toast — bread
  24. staff — a stick

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