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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.

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: mug · stick · drill · wave · trunk · plane · bass · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. drill — army training
  7. bass — the fish
  8. mug — a cup
  9. plane — a tool
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mug — a face
  12. suit — in cards
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — the tool
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bass — low music
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. mug — to rob

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