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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: bass · nail · rash · plane · staff · suit · cap · mate

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. staff — employees
  3. bass — low music
  4. cap — of ice
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bass — the fish
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mate — to breed
  12. rash — a series
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. staff — a stick
  17. cap — a hat
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. staff — employees
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. cap — a lid
  24. rash — hasty

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