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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: chip · bass · bat · plane · stick · pass · racket · shower

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pass — a permit
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. shower — rain
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — low music
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. shower — to wash

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