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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.

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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. net — for catching
  6. plane — a tool
  7. net — after costs
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. ball — a dance
  10. stand — to bear
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. ball — a great time
  15. staff — employees
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. staff — a stick
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. rush — hurry
  22. staff — employees
  23. date — the fruit
  24. ball — a round shape

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