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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. saw — the tool
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. fall — the season
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — to crush
  9. net — for catching
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — to drop
  12. net — in sport
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. squash — the sport
  24. net — after costs

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