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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.

Make a worksheet

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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bass — the fish
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mark — a trace
  9. board — to get on
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. plane — a tool
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. rest — what's left
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mark — a grade
  19. board — a committee
  20. mine — for digging
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bass — low music
  23. rest — what's left
  24. board — a flat piece

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