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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: cap · season · roll · bass · fan · rush · snap · plane

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. season — in sport
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bass — the fish
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. roll — a cake
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. cap — of ice
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. season — of the year
  18. rush — hurry
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. cap — a hat
  21. snap — to click
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cap — a lid

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