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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bank — for money
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. can — a tin
  8. ball — a great time
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. can — a tin
  12. deal — to handle
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bore — to drill
  19. row — a line
  20. row — to paddle
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bank — for money
  24. fan — to cool the air

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