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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: fan · lean · bass · land · deal · hide · wax · racket

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. deal — to handle
  7. land — to come down
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wax — to grow
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lean — thin
  12. bass — low music
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. land — a country
  16. lean — to bend
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bass — the fish
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. land — ground
  24. fan — to cool the air

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