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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 116 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. wound — an injury
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — a short time
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bass — the fish
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. spell — magic
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bass — low music
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. pit — in a race
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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