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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bear — the animal
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. plane — a tool
  7. fall — to drop
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. court — of a king
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rash — hasty
  13. court — for sport
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cap — of ice
  16. court — of law
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. cap — a lid
  23. fall — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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