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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: season · cell · net · lie · plane · shower · toast · club

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. club — for golf
  5. cell — in biology
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. shower — to wash
  8. shower — rain
  9. toast — bread
  10. club — for dancing
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. club — a group
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. season — of the year
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — for catching
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. cell — a phone
  22. lie — to recline
  23. season — in sport
  24. net — in sport

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