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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.

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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: snap · present · jam · toast · nail · bass · plane · bowl

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. toast — bread
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. snap — to click
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — low music
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. plane — a tool
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. present — there
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — a gift
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bass — the instrument

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