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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: staff · plane · rush · squash · wake · firm · face · bass

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to point toward
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bass — low music
  6. staff — employees
  7. firm — decided
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. plane — a tool
  10. staff — employees
  11. firm — steady
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. firm — a company
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bass — the fish
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. staff — a stick
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. rush — hurry
  23. squash — the sport
  24. face — to confront

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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