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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 · foot · fan · ball · pitch · rock · bore

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bore — to drill
  6. rock — a stone
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — a measure
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. rock — music
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bore — to tire
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. saw — the tool
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pitch — completely
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. saw — the tool

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