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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: spring · pit · perch · season · bass · plane · cap · squash

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. squash — the sport
  4. spring — of water
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. spring — a coil
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pit — a hole
  10. season — in sport
  11. bass — the fish
  12. squash — to crush
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. spring — the season
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. season — of the year
  18. pit — in a race
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a hat
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bass — low music
  24. squash — the vegetable

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