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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: pit · plane · bass · land · rock · hand · foot · ruler

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bass — low music
  4. pit — a hole
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pit — in a race
  7. plane — a tool
  8. hand — in cards
  9. land — to come down
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. land — ground
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. land — a country
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rock — music
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rock — to move gently

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