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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · firm · mine · ball · hand · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. ball — a dance
  3. firm — a company
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bear — the animal
  6. firm — steady
  7. hand — in cards
  8. plane — a tool
  9. firm — decided
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. mine — for digging
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. hand — help
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ball — a great time
  18. mine — an explosive

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