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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: cabinet · firm · fan · plane · pit · staff · bass · court

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. court — for sport
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. firm — decided
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. firm — steady
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. staff — employees
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. plane — a tool
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. court — of a king
  21. pit — a hole
  22. firm — a company
  23. court — of law
  24. bass — low 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