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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
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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: deal · racket · plane · pit · staff · mine · foot · dip

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. staff — employees
  5. deal — to handle
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. staff — a stick
  10. pit — in a race
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. dip — to sink
  17. mine — for digging
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. staff — employees
  20. pit — a hole
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. plane — a 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