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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: chest · suit · rush · toast · bass · plane · track · pop

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. pop — music
  4. chest — of your body
  5. suit — in cards
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bass — the fish
  8. chest — a box
  9. pop — soda
  10. track — a path
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bass — low music
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. track — a song
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. toast — bread
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. plane — a tool
  24. rush — hurry

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