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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: foot · bass · plane · cap · rash · stick · nail · temple

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rash — a series
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a hat
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bass — low music
  8. foot — a measure
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. rash — hasty
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cap — a lid
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. plane — a tool
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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