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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. net — in sport
  2. can — a tin
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. object — an aim
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. can — a tin
  11. net — for catching
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. object — a thing
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. mark — a grade
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bat — the animal
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. object — to protest
  22. net — after costs
  23. mark — a trace
  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