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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.

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: plane · saw · ball · stick · cabinet · staff · pound · fan

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — a weight
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. staff — employees
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. plane — a tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. staff — employees
  20. saw — the tool
  21. staff — a stick
  22. ball — a dance
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ball — a great time

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