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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: snap · perch · firm · suit · bass · hide · mug · plane

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. mug — to rob
  4. suit — to fit
  5. firm — steady
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bass — the fish
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bass — low music
  12. firm — decided
  13. mug — a face
  14. snap — to click
  15. mug — a cup
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. firm — a company
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. perch — the fish
  23. plane — a tool
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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