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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cap — of ice
  3. pound — a weight
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. saw — the tool
  6. plane — a tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. cap — a hat
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bank — of a river
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bank — for money
  20. bear — the animal
  21. cap — a lid
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bank — for money
  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