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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 116 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: fine · spring · plane · hide · stock · bass · rock · board

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. plane — a tool
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. spring — the season
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. fine — all right
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bass — low music
  17. board — a committee
  18. rock — music
  19. fine — high quality
  20. spring — a coil
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — shares
  23. spring — of water
  24. plane — in geometry

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