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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: fine · foot · mark · plane · ball · drill

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. 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. foot — a measure
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. drill — a practice
  9. fine — high quality
  10. ball — a great time
  11. drill — army training
  12. mark — a grade
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. fine — all right
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. drill — the tool
  18. 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