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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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. firm — a company
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. land — ground
  5. plane — a tool
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — an aim
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bore — to drill
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. land — a country
  14. ball — a great time
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — after costs
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bore — to tire
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. land — to come down
  21. firm — steady
  22. can — a tin
  23. firm — decided
  24. object — a thing

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