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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · ruler · ground · leaves · ball · pit · rush · bass

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pit — in a race
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pit — a hole
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ground — a position
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — hurry
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ball — a great time
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bass — low music
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. plane — a tool
  24. ground — crushed

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