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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
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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: bay · plane · bass · rule · stick · spring · bulb · chair

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. spring — of water
  3. rule — a law
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. spring — the season
  7. rule — government
  8. bass — the fish
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. plane — a tool
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bulb — for light
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bass — low music
  24. bulb — of a plant

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