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

Word bank: bore · racket · firm · cap · pop · bat · suit · plane

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bore — to tire
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. pop — soda
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — a company
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cap — a hat
  15. firm — decided
  16. bat — the animal
  17. cap — a lid
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pop — music
  24. bore — to drill

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