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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — after costs
  6. court — of a king
  7. land — to come down
  8. deal — to handle
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rock — a stone
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. court — of law
  14. rest — a break
  15. court — for sport
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rest — what's left
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. rock — music
  21. land — a country
  22. net — for catching
  23. land — ground
  24. plane — a tool

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