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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. plane — a tool
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bass — the fish
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. ground — a position
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. ground — crushed
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. snap — to click
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. ground — the earth
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. board — to get on

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