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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. plane — a tool
  3. net — in sport
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. drill — army training
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. drill — the tool
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. ball — a great time
  16. net — after costs
  17. ball — a dance
  18. net — for catching
  19. wound — an injury
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. chair — a leader
  24. racket — a loud noise

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