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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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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: saw · plane · pit · net · hand · racket

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. net — in sport
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. net — after costs
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pit — a hole
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pit — in a race
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — help
  16. net — for catching
  17. hand — in cards
  18. racket — for tennis

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