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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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. cap — a lid
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. net — for catching
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pit — a hole
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. net — in sport
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. branch — a division
  12. present — the time now
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. cap — a hat
  17. fork — in a road
  18. net — after costs
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — there
  21. cap — of ice
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pit — in a race
  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