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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: season · racket · bound · firm · mouse · mine · ruler · plane

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mine — for digging
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. season — of the year
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — tied together
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. season — in sport
  20. firm — a company
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. plane — a tool
  23. firm — steady
  24. ruler — for measuring

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