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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.

Make a worksheet

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: nail · bass · plane · wave · toast · cabinet · ruler · pitcher

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bass — the fish
  4. toast — bread
  5. plane — a tool
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bass — low music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. ruler — for measuring

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