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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: bound · toast · plane · press · stock · fork · bass · ball

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bass — the fish
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. stock — goods
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. press — a publisher
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. press — to push
  12. bass — low music
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. press — newspapers
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. ball — a dance
  22. stock — shares
  23. ball — a great time
  24. fork — in a road

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