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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
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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 · mouse · capital · plane · season · bore · bass · date

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. plane — a tool
  3. capital — a city
  4. firm — steady
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. date — the fruit
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. firm — decided
  9. capital — money
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bass — the fish
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bore — to tire
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. season — in sport
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. firm — a company
  23. season — of the year
  24. date — on the calendar

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