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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: mouse · drill · fan · can · march · plane · ball · net

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. march — the month
  3. ball — a great time
  4. net — after costs
  5. can — a tin
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. march — the month
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. drill — a practice
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. can — a tin
  12. drill — army training
  13. net — for catching
  14. drill — the tool
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. can — to be able to
  18. net — in sport
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. march — music
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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