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

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. mug — a face
  9. plane — a tool
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. spell — magic
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. spell — letters
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a cup
  24. racket — a loud noise

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