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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bat · rush · bass · vault · pound · ground · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bass — low music
  8. bat — the animal
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. ground — the earth
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ground — a position
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bass — the fish
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. rush — hurry

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