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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bass — the fish
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. plane — a tool
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bank — for money
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — a weight
  11. craft — a skill
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bank — for money
  14. craft — boats
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bank — of a river
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bass — low music
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. plane — in geometry

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