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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. mark — a grade
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mark — a trace
  7. present — there
  8. court — of law
  9. kid — child
  10. present — a gift
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. drill — the tool
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. plane — a tool
  15. present — the time now
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. drill — army training
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. drill — a practice
  20. court — of a king
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. court — for sport
  24. kid — to tease

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