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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: racket · cap · arm · march · nail · lean · bass · plane

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  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. bass — the instrument
  2. lean — thin
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lean — to bend
  7. march — the month
  8. bass — the fish
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cap — of ice
  13. march — music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. march — the month
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. cap — a lid
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bass — low music
  23. cap — a hat
  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