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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: plane · jam · squash · wound · rock · wave · game · arm

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a match
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — to crush
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. rock — music
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. squash — the sport
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wound — an injury
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. wound — an injury
  20. rock — a stone
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. plane — an aircraft

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