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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. present — the time now
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. tube — the underground
  9. land — ground
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. land — to come down
  13. present — there
  14. present — a gift
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. tube — a container
  19. saw — the tool
  20. plane — a tool
  21. land — a country
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. saw — the tool
  24. leaves — of a tree

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