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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: spring · racket · bay · ball · plane · lean · jam · nail

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. ball — a dance
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. lean — to bend
  10. spring — the season
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. spring — of water
  17. ball — a great time
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. plane — in geometry

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