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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: ball · suit · rest · plane · bore · land · track · squash

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bore — to drill
  4. squash — the sport
  5. land — a country
  6. ball — a dance
  7. suit — clothes
  8. track — a path
  9. bore — to tire
  10. suit — to fit
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. track — a song
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. squash — to crush
  16. land — to come down
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. track — to keep track
  19. plane — a tool
  20. land — ground
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. ball — a great time
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rest — what's left

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