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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 120 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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. net — for catching
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bulb — for light
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. kick — in football
  9. net — after costs
  10. rest — what's left
  11. deal — to handle
  12. net — in sport
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rest — a break
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. plane — a tool
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. rest — what's left

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