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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.

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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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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. net — after costs
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. net — for catching
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mark — a trace
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. net — in sport
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pit — a hole
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. ball — a dance
  24. mark — to pay attention

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