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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: bass · current · deal · mouse · squash · cap · plane · bay

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. deal — to handle
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. current — electric
  8. cap — of ice
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. cap — a lid
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bass — low music
  20. current — of water
  21. bass — the fish
  22. cap — a hat
  23. current — happening now
  24. plane — a tool

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