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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.

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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: firm · race · plane · bear · pit · object · squash · bass

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — low music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. firm — a company
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. race — humankind
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bass — the fish
  13. object — an aim
  14. plane — a tool
  15. object — to protest
  16. pit — in a race
  17. firm — decided
  18. object — a thing
  19. pit — a hole
  20. race — a contest
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. firm — steady
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. squash — to crush

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