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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 120 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.

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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: plane · club · foot · rest · pop · bowl · bass · band

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bass — the fish
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. club — for golf
  12. pop — music
  13. bass — low music
  14. band — a music group
  15. rest — a break
  16. club — for dancing
  17. foot — a measure
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a ring
  20. rest — what's left
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pop — soda
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pop — to visit

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