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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. pass — a permit
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. face — part of the head
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. face — to point toward
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — the underground
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. face — to confront
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. tube — a container
  23. plane — a tool
  24. pitcher — a jug

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