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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.

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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. lean — thin
  4. club — for dancing
  5. cold — an illness
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. plane — a tool
  8. club — for golf
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. mark — a grade
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. cold — not warm
  16. lean — to bend
  17. staff — employees
  18. mark — a trace
  19. suit — clothes
  20. club — a group
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. suit — in cards
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. racket — for tennis

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