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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. toast — bread
  4. can — a tin
  5. bank — for money
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. cold — an illness
  13. cold — not warm
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. bank — for money
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. can — to be able to
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. can — a tin
  21. plane — a tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bank — of a river
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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