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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: rock · trunk · bass · plane · wave · arm · mark · lie

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. rock — music
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bass — the fish
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mark — a trace
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mark — a grade
  19. plane — a tool
  20. rock — a stone
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. lie — to recline

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