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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 120 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: lean · plane · ball · degree · nail · pop · racket · can

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. lean — thin
  3. ball — a dance
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. degree — from a university
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pop — to visit
  9. can — a tin
  10. degree — an amount
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. can — a tin
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ball — a great time
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. degree — temperature
  20. lean — to bend
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. can — to be able to
  24. plane — an aircraft

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