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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: spring · ground · nail · stand · plane · foot · bass · rash

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. foot — a measure
  3. plane — a tool
  4. ground — a position
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rash — hasty
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. spring — of water
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. ground — the earth
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. stand — to bear
  18. rash — a series
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ground — crushed
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bass — the fish
  23. spring — a coil
  24. spring — the season

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