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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: plane · rash · club · cap · bass · wake · rush · ground

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. plane — a tool
  3. ground — the earth
  4. rush — hurry
  5. cap — of ice
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — a series
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. wake — a trail
  10. ground — a position
  11. club — a group
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rash — hasty
  15. club — for dancing
  16. cap — a hat
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bass — low music
  20. club — for golf
  21. cap — a lid
  22. ground — crushed
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. rush — a thrill

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