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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: stick · bass · rock · bear · bowl · fan · plane · last

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bass — low music
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bear — the animal
  14. plane — a tool
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. last — finally
  17. last — final
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bass — the fish
  20. last — to go on
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. rock — music

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